Reborn! Again
by Al David
Summary: Nakamura Sora was an unruly delinquent with below average grades, but then he met his new home tutor, Reborn! Drawn into the world of the mafia and on his way to becoming the 11th boss of the infamous Vongola Family, Sora faces a changed life as he encounters new friends, enemies, and everything in between. Includes both OCs and classic characters.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn and, for that matter, I never will. KHR is exclusively owned by Amano Akira and…er…Weekly Shonen Jump, I guess.**

 **This is my first time writing an anime/manga fic in about five years, so please excuse me if I'm a little iffy with the humor and honorifics. I seriously hope you enjoy this, and would love it if you'd take a few minutes to type up a review. That's what keeps me writing here, so unless you're just a flame, please tell me what you thought of it. I promise I will respond to you if you do.**

 **Now, without further ado, I present to you the first chapter in Reborn! Again…**

 **...**

Reborn! Again

Target 1 - Prologue

A man sat respectably in a darkened room. The only source of light was a small window near the back of the room, which shined on him, exposing part of the man's figure. He was dressed in a tuxedo, recently pressed. His face was hidden by the shadows, with only his mess of unruly brown hair visible in the darkness.

"So, what do you say? Will you do it?" The man's question was directed at another in the room. Only the faintest hint of a fedora was discernible through the shadows.

The hidden man sighed. "There you go again, sending others to fight for you."

"That's not it!" The brown-haired man argued, "The only reason I'm asking you to do this is _because_ I'm afraid that I will be caught in a battle I can't win, leaving the Vongola without a successor!"

"Hm…you really are scared, aren't you?" The shadowed man asked.

The brown haired man relaxed, his expression softening. "…Yes. I can tell that something horrible is about to happen. Even the Representative Battle didn't elicit such a… _dark_ feeling in me. I'm afraid that a war is about to break out. Please, do it for the Family. Do it for me."

"Hmph. I suppose I have no choice then. If your famous intuition is causing you to feel this way then I'll have to do _it_ again." The shadowed man said, stepping towards the brown haired man and into the light to reveal himself: a baby dressed in a black suit and fedora. A green chameleon rested on his hat's bill just above a yellow pacifier.

"You have my word, No Good Tsuna. I'll tutor your successor, the 11th generation Vongola boss candidate—"

" _Nakamura Sorahakai!"_

 ** _-XI-_**

A week after that fateful meeting, in the home of a certain boy, a middle-aged blonde woman collapsed into a chair. Free at last, she huffed a sigh of relief.

"Thank God…" the woman muttered, massaging her forehead, "Those two can be such a handful."

The woman reached forward towards the book lying on the kitchen counter. She had no laundry, no cleaning and no cooking to do. Now it was just her, the book, and beautiful, calming silence for the rest of the day. The woman flipped the novel open to the page she had finished on the previous night. This was it. No interruptions, no chores, nothing to stop her.

The doorbell rang.

The woman's face reddened. She seethed with pure, inconsolable anger. Not once! Not once in 26 years had she caught a break! Every time she tried to relax something came up. The woman stood up and marched menacingly to the door. She pulled it open.

' _If it's Sora skipping class again, I swear…'_

To her surprise, it wasn't her delinquent of a son waiting for her at the front door. As a matter of fact, nobody was. Anger bubbled up in her chest.

' _Even worse, if it's just some stupid kids trying to prank me….'_

Something caught her eye. She looked down. A letter was resting on the ground just a few inches away from the door. The woman reached down and picked it up.

"Nakamura Suzume." She read aloud. It was for her. Suzume gently opened up the letter, expecting a message from her husband, or perhaps a bill for something Sora had broken. To her surprise it was neither. In fact, it was an advertisement. Suzume, curious, read on.

"Home…tutor?"

...

 **That's it for Chapter 1, the prologue! The next one should be considerably longer!**

 **Just a quick note, I have read and watched the entirety of the Reborn! manga and anime. If anything here seems to contradict either, there's a reason for it. I have everything planned out, including why Reborn is still a baby. So please, read on and review!**

 **Also, there's something I want to start doing each chapter. Much in the same way an episode of an anime previews the next episode, I will preview the following chapter. So, here ya go…**

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: Introducing Nakamura Sora!**

 **Reborn- Ciaossu!**

 **?- Who the heck is he?**

 **Suzume- He's your new home tutor, Reborn-chan!**

 **?- But he's a baby!**

 **?- Haha! Onii-chan is going to be tutored by an infant!**

 **Reborn- Respect your elders, Stupid Sora!**

 **?- But you're younger than me!**


	2. Introducing Nakamura Sora!

**Disclaimer: Yes, I still do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Shocker there.**

 **So, because I wanted a quick release schedule, I actually wrote a backlog of issues before releasing the first. That would be why this is up so soon. The regular release schedule will be Saturday every week from now on until I can't manage that anymore (probably around chapter 13 or 14 when my backlog runs out). Thanks to the two reviewers! I love you guys! :) Keep it up! As for the rest of you, I hope this chapter inspires you to drop a review!**

 **Sn0wk1ty: My first reviewer! Thank you for the kind words! I hope the title meets your expectations.**

 **Guest: You should make an account so I can properly thank you! :) And of course, I always enjoy what I write. Otherwise, what's the point? As for Sora, well, I'll let the chapter speak for itself. I certainly wanted him - and this title in general - to be very recognizable and appropriate for the KHR Universe, yet also very different and new. So, you'll see traits and themes that are all too familiar, and others that are completely new. That's all I'll say for now. Well, actually I want to add that some characters may seem...disappointing or overly familiar at first. For example, I introduce a character this issue that appears to be incredibly stereotypical for a shonen anime/manga, but please realize not everything is as it seems. I'm very aware of archetypes and stereotypes and I want to break a lot of those with this title. I can't say more for fear of spoiling anything.**

 **...**

Reborn! Again

Target 2 - Introducing Nakamura Sora!

The sun shined brightly upon Namimori Middle School as a certain boy lay asleep at his desk. His unruly blond hair stood out amongst the mostly dark haired crowd of students. His peaceful expression could cause any baby…well, nearly any baby to fall asleep just by looking at him. However, his slumber was not to last.

"Sora! Nakamura Sorahakai! Wake up!" the teacher slammed a ruler in front of the boy's face, causing him to jump in his seat.

"What the hell was that for?" Sora stared daggers at the teacher. The middle aged man remained unfazed by the boy's rude response.

"Work harder next time. I expect more, even from a delinquent like you," the teacher dropped a piece of paper onto Sora's desk. The blond groaned upon realizing what it was. Yet another graded test, and yet another zero. The teen leaned back in his chair and looked out the window. The sky looked so peaceful, so open. He wished his life could be the same. The blond recognized that was an odd way of viewing things, particularly in relation to an infinite constant like the sky, and yet the thought continued to prod his mind as he struggled through class. Alas, peace and freedom weren't in his future. Not in the slightest.

Eventually the time came for the bell to ring and, ultimately, for the school day to end. Sora couldn't express with words how grateful he was to be free of that hellhole.

After quickly packing his bag, ignoring most of his textbooks and worksheets while he did so, Sora trudged out of the three-story school building and towards the gate. On his way there, a pretty brunette intercepted him. Akamine Hikari, student council president and overall outstanding person, stood just half a foot away from Sora.

"Hi, Sora-san!" Hikari greeted, her shoulder length dark brown hair flowing in the wind.

Sora groaned, taking a step back. She followed him everywhere. Lord only knew why a perfect student like her would want to be involved with a delinquent like him.

"What is it?" Sora impolitely asked.

Hikari blushed. She looked down at her feet, shifting her weight back and forth.

"You know how tonight's the big game with Izanami Middle, right? I was, um, wondering if you wanted to help me get the gym ready for the game."

Of course Sora knew about the game. It was the second most anticipated basketball game of the season, only after the heated rivalry match with Kokuyo Middle. But….

"I can't do it," Sora simply stated, shrugging. He continued on past Hikari towards the gate. The girl's cheeks reddened further and she stared at the ground. Sora had no intention of hurting her feelings. In truth, he had only one reason for saying 'no.'

' _The work would be a pain. Definitely not worth it.'_

"I'm really sorry for bothering you!" Hikari apologized.

Sora continued on without saying a word, but he could practically see the girl's beaten expression in the back of his mind. Could he really leave her there like that? Even he could tell how hurt she was.

With a sigh, Sora stopped and reluctantly turned back around, "Hikari…I'm sorry. I just…" He looked at her face, her defeated expression, and he knew what he had to do. "I can help you."

Hikari's expression instantly brightened. She looked up, smiling, "Really?"

"Yeah," Sora forced a smile, rubbing the back of his head embarrassedly, "I don't think it'll be a problem."

"Awesome!" Hikari cheered. She grabbed Sora's hand, causing him to blush, and pulled him towards the gym, "C'mon, let's get started!"

"Whoa, Hikari, slow down! You're going to pull my arm off!" Sora pleaded.

"Sorry!" Hikari apologized. However, she still continued on as fervently as ever, dragging Sora after her.

 _ **-XI-**_

A little over an hour later, Sora returned home, finished with preparing the gym for the basketball game. Hikari had begged him to stay for the game, but he couldn't do it.

' _How the hell can a person talk that much?'_ Sora wondered _. 'I mean, she just leaves you feeling so exhausted and happ…'_ Sora blushed and shook the thought away.

The teen unlocked the front door and pushed it open, carelessly shouting, "Yo, Mom, Kori, I'm home!"

Nobody answered. Sora looked around for signs of movement. His little brother was not waiting in the other room to surprise him. His mother was not leaving the kitchen to scold him for yet again failing a test. Weird. Very weird.

And that's when Sora noticed the baby.

Reborn, dressed in his standard black suit, tie and fedora, stood just a few feet from the teen.

"Ciaossu!" Reborn greeted.

Sora frowned, "Who are you?"

He thought back to breakfast. His mom hadn't said anything about having any guests over. Whose kid was this?

"I'm Reborn," the baby answered, "A hitman."

Sora rubbed his temples, something he had a habit of doing whenever he tried to hold back anger. He really was not in the mood to deal with a baby.

"A…hitman? What type of game is this?"

Reborn had no chance to respond as Sora's mother and little brother came rushing out of the kitchen and into the hallway.

"Sora-kun, you're home," Suzume noticed.

Sora looked first at his mother, and then at Reborn. He pointed to the infant, "Who the heck is he?"

Suzume turned to Reborn, as if remembering he was there, and then said, smiling, "He's your new home tutor, Reborn-chan!"

Sora's entire world turned upside down. This…child was _his home tutor?_

"But he's a baby!" Sora exclaimed.

"Isn't that the funniest thing?" Sora's little brother, a pre-teen of twelve, laughed. "Haha! Onii-chan's going to be tutored by an infant!"

Nakamura Hokori was tall for his age, reaching up to about his older brother's height. The two were quite often mixed up, as Hokori looked to be the standard delinquent. He had the ruggedly attractive appearance, muscular build, and outlandish dyed-pink hair that practically screamed 'trouble maker.' However, it could not be further from the truth. Hokori was everything his brother was not: smart, athletic and popular.

Sora snapped upon hearing his brother's statement. He rolled up his sleeves and got into Kori's face. "What the hell did you say, little punk?"

Hokori just continued to laugh, as if this was a standard occurrence, which, in fact, it was.

Before Sora had a chance to say something else, Reborn jumped up and kicked his cheek, knocking him to the ground.

"Gah! What the hell was that for?" Sora asked, rubbing his cheek. Yet again, Reborn kicked him, this time on the opposite cheek.

"Language!" Reborn chided. Sora looked back up, a tear in his eye. The baby was a monster. How did he kick so hard?

"I don't need a tutor!" Sora argued, attempting to find a way out of the situation.

"You know that isn't true," Reborn refuted his statement by pulling out his report card. "Not a grade higher than a 30."

"Wah-! Where'd you get that?" Sora cried, attempting to take the report card from Reborn. The baby jumped over him, hopping on his head once as he did so.

"I have connections," Reborn simply stated.

"What does that mean?" Sora asked. Reborn didn't answer.

"Well, it looks like you two get along well." Suzume smiled, appearing absolutely bubbly.

Sora sweat dropped. "What the hell gave you that idea?"

Yet again, Reborn kicked him.

"Agh! Are you guys just going to let him do that to me?" Sora cried. Suzume and Hokori nodded at once.

"Don't tell me a baby like that can actually hurt you," Hokori chuckled, happy-go-lucky as usual.

"You're just playing a game, right?" Suzume agreed.

Sora sobbed comedically in the corner, "My family's abandoned me!"

"Mafia bosses don't cry," Reborn said. He grabbed Sora's ear and began dragging him back out the door.

"Gah! What does that even mean?" Sora shouted, struggling to escape Reborn, but he had no such luck. Reborn tossed the teen out the door.

The infant turned back to Suzume, and politely said, "We're going to get started, if you don't mind?"

"Not at all," Suzume beamed.

"Thank you, Mama," Reborn said, and then left, shutting the door after him.

Meanwhile, Sora nursed his injuries on the sidewalk. Immediately after seeing the teen, Reborn hit his chin with an uppercut, knocking him up onto his feet. "Mafia bosses don't mope!"

"Agh!" Sora yelled out. The teen massaged his chin, warily taking a few steps back from Reborn. "There you go with that mafia boss stuff again! What is this? A game?"

Reborn shook his head. That was the only answer he gave Sora.

The teen sighed, crossing his arms, "Alright, let's just get to it. Why are you really here? I mean, you can't actually expect me to believe I'm going to be tutored by a stupid baby…"

Reborn jumped up onto Sora's shoulder and punched him.

"Respect your elders, stupid Sora," Reborn ordered.

"But you're younger than me!"

Reborn hopped back off Sora and onto the pavement. He looked up at the teen with his big, black eyes and asked, "You want to know why I'm here?"

"Yes!" Sora shouted exasperatedly, "That's what I've been saying the entire time!"

"Well then," Reborn began, "I'm here to train you to become to the eleventh boss of the Vongola, the fiercest mafia family in the world."

Sora stood there for a brief second, allowing the comment to register. He met Reborn's gaze…and then he broke out laughing. "Hahaha! That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! I mean, me…the head of the mafia? Hahaha!"

Reborn gave him no slack. The infant's chameleon transformed into a hammer, which Reborn used to smash Sora's toes.

"Agh!" Sora cried, hopping around to hold onto his injured foot. "What is that thing?" the teen asked, indicating the chameleon-turned-hammer.

"Leon, a shape-changing chameleon," Reborn answered, and as if to emphasize the point Leon morphed back into a lizard.

"Wha-?! Those exist?!" Sora wondered.

"Of course not," Reborn shot back.

Sora deadpanned, "You're contradicting yourself."

Reborn never gave Sora the chance to think over the statement further. He got right to the point, "So, are you going to stop whining now?"

Sora looked away, uncomfortable. Was he really supposed to believe this? _'I mean, everything I've seen so far has been weird, but…me? A Mafia boss? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!'_

"If you're telling the truth then...why me? Why am I supposed to be a mafia boss? I'm nobody."

"Not true," Reborn replied, "Your father is from Italy, correct?" Sora's gaze returned to Reborn. How did the baby know that? The teen nodded, but he could tell that the supposed-hitman's questions was rhetorical.

"You aren't saying…?" Sora couldn't believe it. Thinking it over, it made sense. His father was the head of a mysterious corporation in Italy. He was almost never home. Could he be the Vongola boss?

"Of course not," Reborn quickly put his fears down, causing Sora to comedically collapse to the ground.

"Then why'd you make the situation so tense?"

Reborn ignored Sora's question. "Your father is related to Vongola Terzo, and your mother is a direct descendent of Vongola Primo. With double the Vongola heritage, you're the perfect pick for Undicesimo."

Sora's eyes widened in amazement. He was descended from Mafia bosses? Who would have thought?

But still… "That doesn't matter."

"Huh?" Reborn inquired.

"I…I don't want to be the mafia boss. I don't really want to be anything," Sora explained, eyes sunken, "I'm just a no-good student. I'm not smart. I'm always picked last for teams in PE. I…I'm not really good at anything. Truth is, I figure I'll just barely get by in school, and when the time comes and I have to pick a profession, I'll get a boring office job working for some stupid corporation. I'll live my life alone—because that's all I'm good for. If you're looking for someone to be 'Undiche-whatever' then talk to my brother. He's smart, the star member of the archery club, and a total chick magnet."

"Hm…" Reborn sighed, before jumping up and punching Sora, "Mafia bosses must be confident!"

"Ow!" Sora's eyes lit up with fury as he looked down at the hitman, "I told you…"

"Shut up."

Reborn stared at Sora with the fiercest expression he could muster. The teen didn't know how to respond. What was he supposed to do?

"AIIEEE!"

Sora and Reborn immediately turned their attention to the screamer. Just down the block, near the edge of the street, three older teens—they looked like upperclassmen to Sora—were ganging up on an innocent girl. Sora thought he recognized the girl. She looked familiar. The shoulder length dark brown hair…where had he seen it before? And that's when it hit him.

"Hikari-chan…" Sora whispered.

"It's time for a test," Reborn announced, "Looks like you have your chance to prove if you're worthy to become Vongola's boss."

"What?" Sora sweat dropped, "I never said I wanted to be involved with the mafia! And what am I-" Sora sighed, looking regretfully back at Hikari. "What am I supposed to do anyway?"

"What do you think?" Reborn chided, "Save her."

"I can't!" the teen protested, "I…I don't fight!"

"What?"

Sora looked down at his feet, embarrassed, "It's not that I'm scared. It's just…it's a personal thing."

"Hm…" Was that a smile on Reborn's face? "A delinquent that doesn't like to fight…?"

"Too bad." And without another word from the hitman, Leon transformed into a pistol.

"What are you going to…holy shit!" Sora cried as he looked down the muzzle of the gun. The last thing he saw before the bullet was fired was Reborn's cold expression, almost scolding him for being a coward.

"Die." Reborn fired.

The bullet made contact, hitting Sora right between the eyes. As the boy died, he regretted his actions. ' _I'm going to die now. If…if only I knew that…I would have spent my last moments saving Hikari-chan. I would have fought for her with my dying will!'_

"RE-BORN!" Sora hopped up off the ground, his eyes blank with rage. A large, explosive flame burned on his head, almost like a literal representation of his anger. "I will save Hikari-chan with my dying will!"

Only after shouting his intentions did Sora notice the majority of his clothes had burnt away, leaving him in but his boxers. Sora shrugged it off, "I'll worry about my appearance later!"

The teen charged the upperclassmen, fueled by a mysterious power.

"What the hell…?" One of the upperclassmen noticed the blond, "…A pervert?"

Sora shut the older teen up by punching him in the face, sending the upperclassman flying into a wall.

"That piece of shit just knocked out Kisuke-kun!" Another thug roared.

"Kill him!" The last declared. They charged at Sora. The blond ducked under their attack and punched them both in the groin. As they rolled on the ground in pain, he jumped up and simultaneously stamped on both of their stomachs.

"Gah!" They cried in unison. One continued the thought after a moment of wallowing in misery, "Forget this!"

Both shot up onto their feet, holding their stomachs, and ran off, leaving their friend behind. Sora's rage and the mysterious flame that came along with it only disappeared after the older teenagers had left. It was at that moment of complete serenity that the embarrassment hit Sora.

"Ahh! My clothes!"

"Sora-san…" Hikari finally seemed to realize who her savior was. She joyfully hug-tackled him to the ground, "Sora-san! You saved me!"

Sora blushed furiously as the girl landed atop him. After seeing the blond's face, Hikari realized the position they were in. She backed off quickly, embarrassed.

"What are you doing here?" Hikari wondered, trying to get both of their minds off of what had just happened.

"I'm asking myself the same question," Sora answered, rubbing his head embarrassedly. "Who were those guys?"

Hikari looked surprised, as if she had forgotten about the older boys who had assaulted her. "They were Izanami High students," she explained, "We won the game 54-52 thanks to a last second shot by Kagome-senpai. After finding out who I was," indicating her status as Nami Middle student council president, "They attacked me."

Sora sighed. This was all because of a stupid basketball game. He wondered if Kagome Hideaki-sempai should have just thrown the game. Izanami High was known for its troublesome students. Sora was sure this incident would be just the first of many.

"Well, I'm glad you're safe," Sora thought out loud, before quickly realizing what he'd said. The teen looked away and put on the toughest expression he could muster. "Uh...just kidding. Not that there's anything wrong with you being safe, but-" Hikari's lips curled up into a smile as the boy continued his tangential excuse.

Suddenly, an idea occurred to the girl. She shot up onto her feet and held out her hand to Sora. The teen reluctantly took it, and the two stood eye-to-eye.

"Promise you'll be at school tomorrow," Hikari said.

"What?" Sora blushed. "I can't…I mean…"

"Promise."

Sora sighed and scratched the back of his head. He nodded. "Fine."

Hikari beamed and hugged Sora, causing the boy to blush an even darker shade of red. "I'll see you tomorrow, Sora-san!"

"Bye…" Sora muttered.

He watched Hikari go, the two waving at one another, before he made his way home. During his trek back, he noticed Reborn was nowhere to be found. Where had the baby gone?

Sora looked up at the sky, thinking. Was what Reborn had said about him really true? And if it was…

' _What's going to happen next?'_

 _..._

 **That's it! I hope you enjoyed the first _real_ chapter in Reborn! Again! **

**If anyone's curious, I imagine Sora looks something like Asakura Hana from Shaman King: Flowers. Not totally the same—for example, Sora has considerably shorter hair and blue eyes—but it's a good reference point. Also, please review!**

…

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: The Hammer of Wrath**

 **?- AAAAHHHH!**

 **Reborn- Who's that?**

 **Sora- That's Saito Katsuro. He's in Class 2-A, like me.**

 **Reborn- He's a good fighter, perfect for the Family.**

 **Sora- Wha-! 'The Family'?!**

 **Reborn- You heard me. Go recruit him.**

 **Sora- But…!**

 **Reborn- No buts!**


	3. Hammer of Wrath

**Disclaimer: I don't own Reborn. End of story.**

 **Not much to say today beyond I love all of my reviewers, so I'll skip right to you guys! :)**

 **Guest: You've made me so happy by saying that! After all, KHR is nothing if not cool and weird!**

 **Sn0wk1tty: Glad you like it! Just wait to see how Sora's lineage comes into play…**

 **Aines445: Not one, but TWO long reviews! YES! You made my day! Alrighty, here we go.** **/cracks knuckles.**

 **Thanks for the font help! I wanted to balance Tsuna by making him similar but also noticeably more mature and eloquent. Just wait and see on the bad guy front. Sorahakai is a weird name, isn't it? Oh well. I picked it for a reason. I'm glad you like Suzume! As for your fifth paragraph, I'll let the story speak for itself. Thank you SO much for the honorific help! I've already edited the previous two chapters and the coming few that feature Kori.**

 **Continuing the nonsensical paragraph routine, onto your second review! You pretty much hit the nail on the head in terms of Sora. And yes, there's backstory for his disdain of fighting. It will be explained in due time. Hikari was, in fact, whom I was speaking of. Glad you like her! As for how she feels about Sora and vice versa, just keep reading. There's a lot more in store for her character, but I can't say more. Kori and Kagome both will play major roles in the story.**

 **Thanks for the reviews! Seriously! I love long reviews!**

…

Reborn! Again

Target 3 – The Hammer of Wrath

"Hey, Sora-niichan, wake up!"

The youngest of four, Nakamura Hokori, rather rudely awakened his older brother, Sora, by jumping onto his bed, much to the blond's dismay. Kori appeared to be worried. Sora could only wonder why - not that he even tossed around possibilities in his half-awoken mind.

"Lemme sleep for a few more minutes…" Sora grumbled, yawning.

"No! You slept through your alarm clock, Nii-chan! You're going to be late to school!" Kori argued.

Sora immediately jerked up and hopped out of bed. He had promised Hikari he would go to school today, and no matter how much he wanted to sleep in and ignore the bane of his existence - namely, required public education - he was not going to break that promise.

"Shit!" Sora yelled, throwing on the standard Nami Middle uniform: a white button up, blue tie and black slacks.

"Language."

Sora turned to look at the speaker. Reborn lay, eyes wide open, peacefully asleep in a homemade bed to the side of Sora's, a snot bubble growing and shrinking on his nose as he snoozed. The teen had almost forgotten he was there. Then, Sora sweatdropped, realizing what Reborn had just said. ' _He's scolding me in his sleep.'_

The blond teen shrugged it off. He was going to be late! Sora grabbed his backpack on the way out of his room. His younger brother was nowhere in sight. He must have already left. Sora ran downstairs and into the kitchen. His mother was sitting quietly, watching the news. A few pieces of toast lay on a plate in front of her. Sora grabbed one and stuffed it in his mouth.

"Sora-kun-!" Suzume protested.

"Sorry, mom! Gonna be late!" Sora interrupted, sprinting out the front door.

Suzume just looked on in shock at her elder son's explosive exit. After a few seconds, she frowned and called, "Kori-kun, that wasn't very nice!"

The pink-haired boy came out from his hiding place in the living room, rubbing the back of his head embarrassedly, his famous happy-go-lucky smile still present on his face. "Sorry! I just couldn't help myself. With Sora-nii's sudden interest in going to school…well, it's nice to see him on the other side of a prank for once."

Suzume let out the briefest laugh, "Yes, I suppose it is." No truer words had ever been spoken.

The two simultaneously looked at the clock. 7 o'clock sharp. Kori could not help but burst out laughing.

 _ **-XI-**_

"Shit! I'm going to be late!" Sora shouted, running full-speed down the sidewalk towards Namimori Middle School. If he was late, what would he say to Hikari? What decent excuse could he muster? ' _God! Buddha! Anybody, help me!'_

He edged down the street, getting closer and closer to Nami Middle when, out of nowhere, as he was passing a corner, Sora ran straight into another person. Both fell to the ground. Sora ended up lying precariously over the other person.

"Oh God! I'm so sorry!" Sora apologized. He rubbed the dust out of his eyes and looked at his victim. Much to his surprise, the person he had tackled was wearing a Nami Middle uniform like him, only with an additional navy sweater over the button up. Moreover, the uniform was perfectly pressed and, well, orderly. Or at least as orderly as it could be after being ruffled by Sora.

"What the hell were you doing?!" The boy growled.

Sora looked up and met the other student's gaze. He had messy black hair, stormy gray eyes, and lightly tanned skin. Sora recognized the boy all too well. He was…

"Katsuro-san!" Sora realized, springing back to his feet. This was bad—really bad! Saito Katsuro was the opposite of Sora in nearly every way. He was a fantastic student, had never missed a day of school in his life and, most importantly, loved fighting. He was the epitome of the word 'oxymoron.' Nothing about him made sense. The only thing Sora understood about the teen was that if he'd pissed Saito off, he was in serious trouble.

"Answer my question," Katsuro continued, getting back, "What the hell were you doing sprinting towards Namimori Middle?" He stared daggers at Sora. The smaller boy thought he would die there staring into the other boy's dark, abysmal eyes.

"Wha-what are you talking about? School's about to start," Sora muttered. And then he realized something. "…You're late too?" _'Katsuro is never late.'_

"'The hell are you talking about?" Katsuro demanded, "We have nearly an entire hour until school starts!"

"What? B-but my little brother…"

"Lied to you!" Katsuro interrupted. Sora couldn't believe it. He— _he_ had been tricked by his brother? When the hell had he become so gullible? Was this Reborn's doing? In just a day, had he…?

Sora was shaken out of his thoughts by Katsuro, who muttered disbelievingly, "It's a wonder idiots like you even last this long…"

Before Sora could protest, Katsuro had taken off again. ' _Where's he going?'_ Sora wondered. It was so early in the day; what could he possibly have to do before school?

Sora shook the thought away. He was just thankful he had gotten away without a fight. If he had been in two fights in such a short period of time…Sora shuddered at the thought. He'd promised himself he would never fight again, but the way things were going with Reborn, he might not have a choice. If the baby was serious about the Mafia thing…

Sora snapped out of that train of thought as a sharp pain raced up his leg. Reborn was pinching him with tweezers.

"Gah! What was that for? And why are you here?" Sora cried, pulling his leg away from Reborn.

"Stupid question, Stupid Sora." Reborn scolded, "A Boss must be fit both mentally and physically. Start running."

"But school doesn't start for another hour!" Sora protested.

"Perfect. Run around the block," Reborn simply said.

"But-!"

Reborn sighed, "I have no choice then…" Leon transformed into a pistol. Sora knew what was coming.

"No….no! Not this again, please!"

"Run, Stupid Sora." Reborn fired. The bullet hit Sora square between the eyes. _'To die for such a stupid reason... If I could do it all over, I wouldn't argue! I'd run faster and harder than I ever have before!'_

"REBORN!" Sora shouted, his clothes having yet again disappeared. His backpack fell to the wayside as he sprinted off towards Nami Middle, "I'll become stronger with my Dying Will!"

Reborn just smirked as Sora took off down the street.

 _ **-XI-**_

Nearly an hour and over half a dozen Dying Will bullets later, Sora collapsed in front of Nami Middle, exhausted, his body aching.

"I hate running," Sora whined, before taking in his appearance, "Ah! My clothes!"

"Be more prepared next time," Reborn scolded, tossing him his backpack. When Sora looked inside, he discovered a new, clean uniform.

"Oh, thanks," Sora said, surprised, already throwing on the uniform. Students milled on past him, smirking and joking about his appearance. Sora just blushed on through, trying to ignore the others. Finally, less than a minute later, Sora had put on his new set of clothes and was ready for school to start.

"Sora-san!" The blond teen looked up. Hikari was running down the street towards him, waving.

"Hikari-chan!" Sora greeted, meeting her halfway.

"You came," Hikari noticed, smiling.

"I promised, didn't I?" Sora replied, grinning right back. Upon realizing how he was acting, Sora immediately blushed and turned away, "Not that that's why I came. I just felt like coming to school today, is all."

Hikari just giggled at this comment. Sora could't help but smile a little too. Who knew being around people could feel so good? Just a day ago, this would have seemed farfetched and unpleasant, but today, since Reborn had pushed him…speaking of the baby, he was nowhere in sight. Reborn had done the same thing yesterday.

' _Weird,'_ Sora thought. ' _That baby's a complete mystery.'_

 _ **-XI-**_

A while later Sora sat alone, waiting for homeroom to start. Hikari had been drawn away by her friends after they realized whom she was hanging out with—namely him. Sora tore his thoughts away from that, thinking back to earlier in the morning. He looked at the clock. Just a minute till school started. The blond looked around. Katsuro was nowhere in sight. Odd. He was never late.

That's when the door slammed open. Saito Katsuro marched right in, beaten and bruised. All eyes were drawn to him. He sat down in his usual seat two rows in front of Sora at the front of the classroom.

' _Katsuro, what were you doing earlier?'_

The teacher entered, causing Sora to have to redirect his thoughts towards school. Much to his dismay, they started out class by getting back Math tests. It was Sora's worst subject.

"Nakamura Sora." The teacher slammed down the paper onto Sora's desk, glaring at the boy. Zero. Again.

"Saito Katsuro," The teacher said, approaching Katsuro. The teen nodded in acknowledgement. "Perfect 100 percent as usual."

Nearly all the students turned to Katsuro and glared. Sora could hear the whispers of "loser" And "bastard" circling around. The teacher began to walk away, ready to hand out yet another graded test, but stopped after just a step and turned back to Katsuro.

"Katsuro-kun, you would be the perfect student if you'd just stop getting into senseless fights. Please, correct this behavior." Sora had never seen the teacher so genuinely concerned, but it was a fact: every teacher loved Katsuro. It was one reason why a lot of the students hated him. The other was his obnoxious attitude.

"Yes, sir," Katsuro promised. No one believed him. Even the teacher seemed doubtful.

"Akamine Hikari." Sora's attention was drawn to the girl, who sat on the other side of the room, "You have our only other perfect score. Congratulations."

Hikari was beaming. This time, no one muttered a word. Everybody loved Hikari.

' _The teachers call her "Namimori's Golden Star" for a reason.'_ Sora mused.

The teacher handed in the last tests and then walked up to the front of the class. It was time for yet another boring school day, or so Sora thought.

 _ **-XI-**_

Eventually it came time for PE class, and for Sora's day to become all the more interesting. Today they were going to play soccer, and as usual Sora was picked last.

"Damn it! We don't want Sora." The blond shrugged this comment off. He'd heard it all too many times before.

"With him on our team, we're going to lose!" A fellow junior high student cried.

"Just shut up and take him, will you?" Another roared.

"Why don't you?"

"You know damn well why!"

"Shut up!" PE coach Inu ordered. He turned to glare at Sora, "Damn it, why do you even come to school? Look at the trouble you cause!"

That's when an idea hit Sora. _'I haven't pulled a prank in, what, a week? Far too long, and Dog-Bastard's asking for it.'_

"Sorry, co-whoa!" Sora fake-tripped, pulling the coach's whistle off his neck.

"God, you're a loser!" The coach raised his hands into the air to emphasize his point. Sora just grinned mischievously, tossing the whistle back to Inu.

"Sorry, sorry," Sora calmly replied. All the other students noticed his odd smile, but they shook it off. Just Sora being his usual weird self, right?

"Let's get started!" an older student said.

"Yeah!"

"We'll take Nakamura. Whatever."

"Good," Inu's rage momentarily subsided. He put the whistle up to his mouth.

"Game…start!" He blew. Nothing happened. The students looked on in shock, unsure of what to do.

"What...?" Inu blew much harder the second time around. The whistle exploded into a burst of confetti, Sora's signature trick—a miniature confetti bomb—at work. The blond grinned proudly.

Inu stared down Sora with his depressing dark eyes, all too positive of the culprit, "You idiot! It's a wonder you haven't been expelled!"

There was nothing Inu could do as he had no proof Sora was guilty, but that didn't mean others couldn' attempt something.

"God damn it!" An upper classmen roared, marching towards Sora, murder in his eyes. The older student was a brunet; his hair cut short and cropped up. His toned body betrayed his athletic history.

"Whoa, Akamaru-senpai, calm down. It's just a prank. No harm done," One of the younger students tried to calm Akamaru down.

"Yes, there is! This is freaking soccer we're talking about! The kid needs to take it seriously!" Akamaru demanded.

"That had nothing to do with soccer," Sora argued. Akamaru took the statement as an admittance of guilt.

"You bastard!" He ran at Sora, and then out of nowhere he tripped and fell headfirst into the ground. Saito Katsuro stood over him, expression unreadable.

"Saito, you bastard!" Akamaru glared up at Katsuro. Sora silently thanked the other teen for what he had done: drawing away Akamaru's attention.

"What?" Katsuro feigned innocence, "I didn't do anything."

"RRrrr….!" Akamaru quite literally growled. He got back on his feet and swung his fist towards Katsuro. The younger teen simply ducked under it and in one swift motion brought out a claw hammer and struck Akamaru in the back of the head, immediately knocking him out.

Most of the students just stared on in shock. A few brave ones, Akamaru's fellow soccer teammates, charged Katsuro.

"Asshole! You knocked out Akamaru-senpai!"

Inu just watched, mildly amused, as Katsuro fought the soccer players. Katsuro ducked under one's jab and hit him in the stomach with his hammer, causing him to collapse to the ground and throw up. Another tried to slide tackle him. Katsuro jumped over him and slammed the hammer down on his leg. Sora could have sworn he heard a crack. Two players took the smart route and attacked him at once. Katsuro ducked under the first's punch, but was caught by the other, who kicked him onto the ground.

Sora's attention was drawn away from the fight by a soccer ball that rolled up gently against his leg. Suddenly, a small compartment in the ball opened up to expose Reborn sitting calmly inside, drinking coffee and watching the fight.

"Reborn! What were you doing in the ball?!" Sora asked, trying and failing to keep his voice down to a whisper.

Reborn ignored his question, "Who's that?"

Sora couldn't put two and two together for a second, before realizing Reborn was asking about Katsuro. "That's Saito Katsuro. He's in class 2-A like me."

"He's a good fighter, perfect for the Family," Reborn stated.

Sora did a double take, "Wha-! 'The Family'?!"

"The Vongola," Reborn explained, "You need to start gathering a family for your generation."

"Bu-but, Katsuro's…" Sora looked back at the fight to discover Katsuro standing over half a dozen unconscious bodies. His bottom lip was bleeding and his eyes practically bled anger. "…Scary."

"No buts!" Reborn jumped out of the ball and slapped Sora, "Get him to join your family!"

Sora sighed, realizing arguing would be useless, and approached Katsuro. He gulped and started, "Hey, Katsuro-san…."

"You idiot!" Both Sora and Katsuro's attention was drawn to Inu, who had flicked a switch from cautiously entertained to scared and furious. "What the hell did you do?!"

Inu held a phone in his hand. "I'm calling the cops!"

"No…" Sora argued, "They attacked him. It was self-defense. Don't…"

"Shut up!"

Sora glanced back at Katsuro. The taller teen remained calm, simply frowning at this advancement as if it was but a minor dilemma.

"Katsuro-san…" Sora muttered. Katsuro glanced briefly back at him, and then turned his attention to Inu.

"Go ahead and call the police," Katsuro said as Inu began to audibly speak with the department. The teen smirked, and then finished, "I'm taking all comers."

…

 **Dog-Bastard*= Inu means dog in Japanese. Thus, Sora used his name as an insult to the coach.**

 **Well, what did you think? Of the chapter and the new character, Katsuro? Please tell me in a review!**

 **Also, there's no need to comment on the chapter name. It sucks. I'm not happy with it, but it's something, right? Certainly better than what I originally had planned.**

…

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: The Deal**

 **Sora- What are you thinking, Katsuro-san?**

 **Katsuro- Shut up!**

 **Reborn- Interesting…**

 **Sora- I'll make a deal with you.**

 **Katsuro- Who says I want to make a deal?**

 **Sora- Trust me, this is one you can't refuse.**


	4. The Deal

**Disclaimer: The usual. I don't own KHR. Never will. I think I'm going to start doing this every ten chapters, starting next chapter.**

 **I mentioned my backlog earlier and how it might run out around 13 or 14. Turns out I was wrong! I'm already up to chapter 14! Hopefully I can keep this up!**

 **And two reviews? :( Thanks to the people who did. C'mon, the rest of you! Make my day! Review!**

 **valery-chan: It certainly seems that way, huh? ;) As for Katsuro's DW Flame, just wait and see! Sorry for not updating more quickly! Thing is, I'm so busy with other titles that I have to be conservative in my approach to this. I'd love to update twice, or even three times a week, but that would mean either A) I shelve my other titles, or B) I'll reach a point where I can't even update weekly on this because my backlog's run out. Who knows? Maybe someday I'll be able to manage twice a week.**

 **Aines445: Kori's hair is dyed pink, yeah. I wanted someone with a more anime-y look. As for Katsuro, I really wanted a character that was essentially the opposite of Sora, but at the same time a better delinquent than him. Why he acts that way though? Wait and see.**

 **I'm glad you like Sora! Katsuro's both an okay guy in actuality, and he was getting annoyed with them. It was a mixed bag. I wanted an odd weapon like the ones you see in KHR! The claw hammer is just the first of many. There's a reason Katsuro hasn't been expelled, and I'm not sure if I fit it into the story. I'll try to add it in next chapter. The answer though? Honestly, it's a mixture of the teachers wanting him to succeed, and being too scared of him to do anything (until Inu, at least). Also, he hadn't started fights on school property until last chapter.**

…

Reborn! Again

Target 4 - The Deal

"Go ahead and call the police. I'm taking all comers."

Sora couldn't believe what he was hearing. Saito Katsuro was challenging the police? _The police?!_

"What are you thinking, Katsuro-san?! If you attack them—they might kill you!" Sora cried.

"Shut up!" Katsuro roared, his eyes burning with fiery determination. He had never acted like this, starting a fight on school property, nor had he been so reckless before. What had changed? Why had he let everything escalate so quickly?

"Damn brat…" Inu began, hanging up the phone, "I've called them. You're going to jail."

"Interesting." Reborn smirked.

"No! Not interesting!" Sora faced Reborn, "Katsuro's going to get himself killed!"

"Just the type of tenacity and courage we need in the Vongola," Reborn mused.

"Katsuro isn't part of the Vongola!" Sora argued, drawing both Inu's and Katsuro's attention.

"Who the hell is that baby? Your little brother?" Katsuro asked, finally noticing Reborn.

"Yeah, I'd get that infant out of here if I were you," Inu warned, "It's about to get dangerous." Katsuro and Inu exchanged a fierce look.

' _He didn't say a single thing about my safety!'_ Sora sweat dropped.

"He's my…" Sora struggled for an explanation that didn't involve the Mafia.

"I'm his home tutor." Reborn stated.

Inu broke out into laughter.

Katsuro simply smirked. "Figures someone stupid like you would have something as stupid as a baby for a tutor."

Reborn did not take that comment lightly. Leon transformed into a wooden katana, which he used to attack Katsuro. The teen easily blocked his initial strike.

"I don't want to hurt you, kid," Katsuro warned.

"It's your fault for starting this," Reborn replied, using the katana to flip the hammer out of Katsuro's hand. Then, he hit the teen over the head. "Don't ever call me stupid again."

"Agh!" Katsuro rubbed his head, "Stupid baby."

Reborn smacked him again as Inu and Sora watched on in amazement. After recovering from the hit, Katsuro hopped back and grabbed his claw hammer.

"That's one too many, kid," he growled.

Katsuro charged Reborn, swinging his hammer down at him. The baby jumped to the side and hit Katsuro in the stomach with the katana.

"Reborn, stop!" Sora cried.

Reborn froze and turned to the teen, "What? You want to fight him?"

Without giving Sora a chance to respond, Leon transformed into a pistol and Reborn aimed it at Sora. However, the teen was saved by a handful of sirens—police sirens, in fact. The cops were here.

"And that's my cue," Katsuro quipped, running off.

"Go after him, Stupid Sora. He's family now," Reborn ordered. Sora knew it was pointless to argue. He took off without a word. Ahead of him, Katsuro hopped a fence with no effort. Sora tried to do likewise. He failed. Epically.

"I can't do it!" Sora cried. Reborn was right behind him. He jumped up and punched the teen.

"Never say never!" Reborn scolded. He hopped back down, "Now, tell me you can."

Sora looked at Reborn. The baby remained unwavering. The blond sighed, "I can do it."

"Good," Reborn shot both of Sora's knees.

"What?!" Before Sora had a chance to dodge, the bullets lodged into his legs. However, nothing changed. Seconds passed. He didn't enter the fiery mode from before. "Huh…?"

"Jump, Stupid Sora," Reborn commanded.

"Bu-!"

"Jump!"

Sora did as he was told. He jumped, only to find himself leaping fifteen yards into the air and over the fence.

"Wha-What was that?" Sora asked, turning back to face Reborn.

"Worry about it later. Go after Katsuro!" Reborn ordered.

Sora sighed, and turned to run after the other teen. Ahead of him, Katsuro cut through someone's yard. Sora did the same, leaping over their fence. Next, a couple blocks down the road, Katsuro cut to the left.

Sora was beginning to lose him. He pushed himself to run faster, following after him. When he turned the corner, Katsuro was nowhere in sight. He didn't stop to think about it. He ran down the street, only to find Katsuro going left down in an alley. Sora followed him. It continued like this, Sora barely keeping up with Katsuro as he wandered around an endless maze of streets.

At last, Katsuro came to a halt in front of a repair shop; the only person in sight was a middle-aged man who casually worked in the shop, ignoring the two boys. The black-haired teen was tired, resting his hands on his knees. Sora did the same, unsure of what to say. Luckily, Katsuro did the honors.

"Why the hell did you follow me?" Katsuro asked.

Sora couldn't help but laugh a little at the question. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Fair enough."

"Why…why did you challenge the police? And why bring them here?" Sora motioned to their bland surroundings.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Katsuro quipped. Sora grinned. He had never seen the other teen act so carefree. It was actually refreshing. This only further strengthened Sora's resolve to keep the taller teen from getting himself hurt. It was odd, Sora had never felt this way, particularly about someone who just hours—no, minutes—before had been, in many ways, an enemy. Sora had the weirdest feeling that Katsuro wasn't a bad guy after all.

So, Sora came up with a plan. It was crazy and went against everything he believed in, but he knew it was the only way out of this.

Sora stood up straight. "I'll make a deal with you."

"Who says I want to make a deal?" Katsuro shot back.

"Trust me, this is one you can't refuse," Sora assured. "I'll fight you, and if I win then I get to take all the blame with the police. If you win, then I leave and never bother you again."

Katsuro smirked, "Sounds like a win-win situation for me."

"Exactly."

"Fair enough," Katsuro agreed, "Let's do it."

Sora gulped. Now that Katsuro had actually agreed to the deal the ridiculousness of his plan hit him. He had no chance of beating Katsuro. Sure, he wasn't the worst fighter, but—excluding the previous night—he had not gotten into a fight in years.

The promise he had made…was it really all right to break it for this? At this point, it didn't matter. The fight was about to begin. He didn't have a lot of time. Sora had to win before the police arrived.

"Let's go!" Katsuro grinned wickedly, charging Sora. He swung his hammer at Sora's head, hoping to end the fight before it truly began. However, he was unsuccessful as Sora ducked under the attack and punched him in the gut. Something was wrong. It was like Katsuro wasn't entirely focused on the fight, as if he was distracted by something else…

"Not bad," Katsuro winced, "But not good enough!" He slammed his hammer down on Sora's shoulder. He didn't hear a crack, but he was sure it had hurt like hell.

"Agh!" Sora cried, jumping away from Katsuro. His shoulder hurt, yeah, but he was nowhere near done. He ran at Katsuro, feinting a punch. Katsuro naturally moved to the side. Sora used this time to drop kick the other teen, knocking him to the ground. However, before Sora could deal a serious blow, Katsuro hopped up and slammed his hammer into Sora's gut, knocking him a dozen yards away.

"Hk! Hk!" Sora struggled to breathe on the ground. He held his stomach. He couldn't move. It was over.

Meanwhile, fifty feet away, hidden behind a sign, Reborn aimed down a sniper rifle's scope, Sora in his sights. "C'mon, stupid Sora. Fight for the Family."

He fired. Bullseye.

As the bullet sunk into Sora's head, the blonde wondered, ' _If I knew I was about to die, could I have defeated Katsuro with my Dying Will? Could I have saved him?'_ However, the teen had a second chance. Sora sprung back up, half-naked with a violent orange flame bursting on his forehead.

"REBORN!" Sora declared, "I will defeat Katsuro with my dying will!"

"What the hell…?" Katsuro wondered.

Sora sprinted towards him. Katsuro swung his hammer. Sora easily ducked under it. He uppercutted the larger boy. Katsuro recovered quickly, flipping onto his feet.

"Looks like you're better than I thought, Nakamura," Katsuro admitted.

Sora remained silent. He charged Katsuro yet again. This time, the other teen played it smart, waiting till the last moment to dodge. He hit Sora's back with his hammer. The blonde fell to the ground, but he quickly hopped back up, fully recovered.

Sora unleashed a flurry of punches at Katsuro. The other teen casually dodged each one. However, a single hit made contact, causing Katsuro to wince. Again, Sora got the feeling Katsuro wasn't focused on the fight.

That's when he saw it. Katsuro glanced quickly—so quickly Sora wouldn't have noticed it if he hadn't been looking for something like this—towards the repair shop. Sora used the opening to punch Katsuro in the chest, knocking him away. He didn't give the other teen a chance to respond. Sora had a fight to win. He jumped up into the air and fell down, using the full force of his fall to slam his feet into Katsuro's gut.

Just by looking at him, Sora could tell that Katsuro was seeing stars. The fight was over. Despite his victory, Sora was more troubled than ever.

"You weren't fighting seriously," he noted.

"Wha' the hell you talkin' about?" Katsuro struggled to get the words out, his face contorted in pain.

"You weren't focusing on the fight. You were distracted," Sora argued.

"Wasn't," Katsuro heaved.

"Why…why did you keep looking at that repair shop?" Sora pointed to the shop, "What's so important about it?"

Before Katsuro had a chance to respond, two police cars pulled up behind the two teenagers. The sirens blared as four policemen got out of the cars. They approached the two boys, quickly identifying each one.

"Nakamura Sora and Saito Katsuro, correct?" One of the policemen asked.

Sora answered for both of them, "Yes."

"You're both going to need to come with us," the officer said. What? Sora didn't expect them to try to arrest him as well. It was his plan, sure, but…

Sora realized what was going on. _'The damn Dog-Bastard framed me. Whatever. This makes things easier.'_

"Katsuro has nothing to do with this," Sora said, "I'm the one who attacked the other boys. As you can tell from his current position, I attacked Katsuro too."

"But…" one of the other policemen struggled to argue with the boy.

"I admitted I was guilty, didn't I? That's all you need," Sora held his hands up to be cuffed. "Take me in."

The officers didn't know how to respond. They all turned to face each other. One shrugged. The others did the same. They cuffed Sora and brought him to one of their cars.

"Let's go, kid."

As they drove away, Sora was relieved to see Katsuro stand up, apparently not seriously injured. ' _That's good. At least Katsuro is fine.'_

 _ **-XI-**_

"I am so, so sorry, sir!" Police Commissioner Yamato apologized for the tenth time to Sora. "I wish I could have been there to stop them from arresting you! I can't believe they thought Nakamura-sama's son would have assaulted anyone!"

He paused and then threw in, "We'll get to arresting that Saito kid immediately, I swear."

Sora shook his head, sighing, "I've told you already. Katsuro didn't do it. It was Fukui Inu. He framed us."

The blond couldn't help but smirk at his mischievous plan. It was beyond bad, but the Dog-Bastard deserved it. He went as far as framing Sora, after all. The man deserved a punishment.

"Yes, sir. I'm so sorry, sir. If there's ever anything you need, just ask," Yamato promised.

"Kay, kay," Sora left the police department, casually using his hands as a pillow to rest his head.

"Ciaossu."

"Agh!" Sora jumped back in shock at the sight of Reborn.

"Your father funds the police department." It wasn't a question. "Interesting…"

"Yeah, so what?" Sora frowned, "Who cares about that man? The only good thing he's ever done for me is help get me out of situations like this."

"Tsk. Father issues. Just like Tsuna," Reborn said. Sora chose to ignore that remark.

He changed the subject, "What's that thing you keep shooting me with? I mean, I should be dead, right?"

"You would be if you had no regrets," Reborn agreed, "But as long as you do, the Dying Will Bullet will revive you and unleash all of your hidden potential."

"What?" Sora wondered, completely lost.

"The Dying Will Bullet is a special weapon created by the Vongola that turns off your body's limiters, and depending on where on your body it hits, it will have a different effect."

"I don't get it," Sora admitted, still confused.

Reborn sighed. The boy was helpless. "It makes you stronger."

"Oh!" Sora grinned, "That's all you needed to say!"

Reborn sighed yet again. Why did he always get the losers?

"Did you get Katsuro to join your family?" Reborn asked, wanting to change the subject to something he could actually talk to Sora about without the boy getting confused.

Sora blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "I didn't even mention it to him."

Reborn jumped up and kicked Sora, who cried out in pain. "Stupid Sora!" Reborn landed gently back on the ground as Sora moaned about his incessant cruelty.

"That's your next job!" Reborn declared, "Before today's end, you're going to get Saito Katsuro to join the Vongola!"

"Bu-!"

"Don't talk back!" Reborn punched Sora in the gut.

"Agh! Don't you realize I'm already hurt all over from my fight with Katsuro?!" Sora whined. However, when he turned to look at Reborn, he discovered the hitman was sleeping peacefully, a bubble hanging loosely on the brim of his nose.

"He's sleeping standing straight up!" Sora deadpanned. The teen got the oddest feeling that if he woke Reborn up, it would end very, very badly for him, so he backed up slowly, attempting to sneak away from Reborn.

The bubble popped. "Stupid Sora! Go get Katsuro to join the Family!" Reborn jumped up and onto Sora's shoulder, giving the boy no choice but to follow his orders.

"Yes, sir," Sora muttered, already trudging down the street. Then Sora realized he had no idea where to look for Katsuro. Where did the boy live?

"Reborn, how am I supposed to find Katsuro?"

"I don't know."

"Then how am I supposed to know?!" Sora exclaimed.

"Just think, Stupid Sora. Use your intuition, just like you did during the fight," Reborn said.

"What are you…?"

"You discovered Katsuro was not fighting seriously, did you not? That he wasn't focusing on the battle at hand?"

"How did you…?" And that's when it hit Sora. The shop. Katsuro kept looking at the shop during the fight. Why? Well, there was only one way to find out.

Sora had to go back.

….

 **I'm not really happy with this one. I don't know why. Whatever. Moving on, I've come to realize I want Reborn! Again to grow beyond just a fanfiction title. So, since I have no artistic abilities and my musical talents are limited, I plan on creating a Youtube channel where I'll discuss the title, the characters, arcs, tease my future plans, etc. I'll keep you guys updated.**

…

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: Acknowledgement**

 **Sora- Who…who are you?**

 **?- I am Saito Jirou, the owner of this shop.**

 **Sora- Saito…You're Katsuro's father!**

 **Sora- Please…tell me about Katsuro!**


	5. Acknowledgement

**Disclaimer: Yes, I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Never have and never will.**

 **Thanks to the three people who reviewed! And sorry this is up so late! I was on a road trip and didn't have the time nor internet to post this. Next week's issue will be released on time.**

 **valery-chan: Sora will meet Tsuna eventually.**

 **Sn0wk1tty: Thank you! I love writing fight scenes. They're just a lot of fun.**

 **Aines445: Sora's human, so he's very conflicted in how he feels about things and isn't necessarily consistent in how he handles situations. Plus, he believes it's the only way to get through to Katsuro. That might tell you more about Sora though than anything else. Sora's Dad will play a very interesting role in the story; one quite different from Iemitsu. Sorry about the shortness! This one is pretty short too!**

 **...**

Reborn! Again

Target 5 - Acknowledgement

It took Sora a surprisingly long time to retrace his steps back to the shop. So long, in fact, that the number of bruises on his body doubled for obvious reasons. At last, Sora managed to find his way to the shop. Luckily it was still open.

Sora opened the door, causing the welcoming bell to ring. The shopkeeper didn't greet him, however, as he was caught up with a costumer. The customer, an elderly lady, appeared to need some sort of miniature idol* fixed.

"I'll have it ready tomorrow," the shopkeeper explained, taking the idol from the woman.

"Thank you very much, sir," the old lady bowed and then left the shop.

After putting the idol behind the counter, the shopkeeper turned his attention to Sora, "How may I help you?"

Something seemed familiar about the man. Sora almost wondered if he was a relative of Katsuro's, but no, that couldn't be it. The man's skin was pale, face shape different, and hair much thinner than Katsuro's. So he couldn't be a relative, right?

"Who…who are you?" Sora got right to the point. Reborn smirked as he sat on Sora's shoulder.

"Me?" The question threw off the shopkeeper, "I…I am Saito Jirou, the owner of this shop."

"Saito…" That's when it hit Sora. He _was_ Katsuro's relative! He had the same stormy gray eyes. That's why he looked familiar. "You're Katsuro's father!"

"Yes," Jirou admitted, "If you don't mind me asking, why do you want to know? Are you a friend of Katsuro's?"

Sora wasn't sure how to answer the question. After all he'd gone through and learned about the other boy, yeah, he could say that he was a friend, but he wasn't so sure Katsuro felt the same way. So, Sora just said what he felt was right.

"Sort of. I…I'm a bit worried about Katsuro."

"So that whole police fiasco today _was_ his fault?" Jirou asked.

"Yep," Sora blurted, before realizing what he'd said, "I mean, no! No! It was, er, my fault!"

"You're a good kid, but you don't need to take the blame for Katsuro. If he's so willing to cause trouble, then he should be able to accept the consequences," Jirou said, crossing his arms.

"But sir—Jirou-san—I don't think Katsuro really wants to get in trouble. I…I think he has a reason for it. Please, help me learn why he does it. Please, tell me about Katsuro!" Sora begged, getting down on the ground and bowing for added emphasis. Reborn hopped off his shoulder before he did so. He was pleased with this development, and Sora's aptitude for solving this mystery. He was getting closer. Reborn almost suspected he already knew why Katsuro did what he did, but that he wanted his suspicions confirmed.

Jirou sighed, "Stand up…?" He nodded, clearly wondering what Sora's name was.

"Sora," the blonde teen answered, and he motioned to Reborn, "And this is Reborn."

Jirou nodded, and then addressed the teen, "Sora, you seem like a good kid, and a better friend than Katsuro deserves, so I'll…I'll tell you his story."

"As you know, I am Katsuro's father, but, as nature decrees, Katsuro also had a mother. She was the most beautiful, wonderful woman on this planet. Katsuro takes after her in many ways, including his looks and…fiery personality. Katsuro…he loved her more than anything, and she loved him just as much, if not more. The two were close, much closer than Katsuro and I have ever been. But…one day Aimi-chan** contracted a disease…a terrible, incurable disease. Katsuro was devastated when she died. And…and so was I."

Jirou continued, "I fell to drinking for comfort, and grew more distant from Katsuro. The truth is, we were never close, even before Aimi-chan's death. But afterwards, after I essentially abandoned him, he began to hate me. For good reason too. I was nearly never there for him. The only damn thing I taught him during that time was how to use a hammer, and you know how that turned out. So, if you want to know why Katsuro gets into fights, and why every time he does, he finds a way to drag it here… it's to spite me. To spite me for never being there for him when he needed me most."

"No!" Sora interrupted, not giving Jirou a chance to continue, "No, that's not…that can't be right! Katsuro—when he comes to this shop, it isn't to spite you. He wants your attention. He wants you to acknowledge him. Earlier when we fought, he kept looking at you, but you wouldn't look back. You ignored him!"

"I did it hoping that he would realize what he was doing was wrong!" Jirou argued, "He…there's no way! He hates me! He will never forgive me!"

"You're wrong!" Sora shouted, "I'm sorry, but you're wrong. Let me prove it to you. Where is Katsuro now? I'll bring him to you, and you'll find out the truth."

Jirou sighed. Sora's idea seemed as good as any, and if there was any chance he could mend their relationship, he would take it.

"Fine. Do it. Katsuro is probably at Namimori Park. He's slept there for a little over a month now, since the last time we fought."

Sora nodded and ran out the door. He was going to find Katsuro and he was going to mend his relationship with his father! _'Like…like I should have done with my own father, years ago…'_

"Stupid Sora!" Reborn slide tackled him like a soccer player, "You're going the wrong way!"

 _ **-XI-**_

Much, much later, right when the sun began to set over Namimori, Sora arrived at the park. It was rather small, so it wouldn't be too much of a problem finding Katsuro, but…well, for Sora nothing was ever easy. After asking around, he was directed towards the southern end of the park. There he found Katsuro lying down beneath a tree, looking up at the sky.

"You here to brag about our fight earlier?" Katsuro asked, sneering.

"No, I'm here to help you," Sora admitted.

"What the hell does that mean?" Katsuro sat up, murder in his eyes. Sora gulped. This didn't look good. Maybe Katsuro did hate his dad; maybe he hated everybody after all.

"I…I want to help you mend your relationship with your father. He told me where to find you." Sora declared, rather loudly in fact. The blond blushed.

Sora's statement seemed to drive Katsuro over the edge.

He hopped up and produced his hammer, charging the smaller teen, "The hell did you say?!"

Katsuro swung his hammer. Sora didn't even try to move. It connected with the side of his face, near the jaw, but it didn't do any serious damage. It was like the fight earlier. Katsuro didn't really mean it, and this time it wasn't because he was distracted.

"Your father wants to mend your relationship and I want to help with that," Sora said again, before breaking out into tears. "GAH! That really hurt!"

"Mafia bosses don't cry!" Reborn scolded, kicking Sora to the ground.

Meanwhile, Katsuro just stared at Sora in awe. The teen's tone, the way he said it… _'Does he really mean what he said? Earlier, I'd just assumed he was making fun of me, but now…'_

"You really meant that?" Katsuro asked.

"Y-yeah," Sora nodded, rubbing the tears out of his eyes. It was only for a second, so short that he wondered if the tears had blurred his vision, but Sora swore he saw Katsuro smile. However, as quickly as it came it disappeared, and a frown formed on the larger teen's face.

"If you're lying to me, I'm going to kill you," Katsuro warned.

"That's fine," Sora stood back up. He knew Katsuro had wanted his father's acknowledgement. He knew it! It turned out there was more than meets the eye to Katsuro after all.

 _ **-XI-**_

Sora, Reborn, and Katsuro managed their way back to the shop just fine, and when they arrived, Saito Jirou was out front waiting for them. He stared emotionlessly at Katsuro. The teen stared right back.

Jirou began to approach Katsuro. Katsuro mirrored his father's movements, until the two stood right in front of each other, just a foot apart. Neither moved. Neither said a word. The scene was tense. Sora gulped.

Suddenly Jirou embraced his son! Katsuro remained shocked, as his father gripped him tightly, tears streaming down his face.

"I'm so, so sorry, son. I just…I'm not very good with words."

He held Katsuro back to look at him and chuckled a halfhearted, sob-filled chuckle, "But I think you know that. Us Saito men have never been very good with words."

Katsuro grinned and then hugged his father, smiling, "Yeah, I guess that's true."

Sora couldn't help but smile. What he had helped do this day, it was beyond words. It was beautiful.

Sora knew when he was not needed. He had to leave the two to talk, to really get over the void between them. So he left with Reborn, and for once the baby didn't critique his actions.

 _ **-XI-**_

Sora yawned, resting his head on his desk. Yesterday had felt like a dream—so surreal. The only way it would get any weirder would be if Katsuro started treating him well. Or anyone well, for that matter. Sora would soon regret ever thinking that.

Katsuro marched into the classroom, just a few minutes before homeroom would begin. However, this time, unlike his normal routine, he did not go straight to his desk. No, he went right up to Sora and bowed.

"There's no way I can ever repay you for what you did yesterday, Sora-san," Katsuro said.

Before Sora could respond, he was hit in the back of the head by a ball. When he turned around to look at the ball, and to see who had thrown it at him, his heart dropped. Reborn rested casually in the ball. The baby slid his index finger slowly across his throat. Sora gulped.

"Actually, there is…" Sora sighed, realizing what Reborn wanted him to do.

"What is it? Please, tell me! I'll do anything!" Katsuro shouted, drawing the attention of the entire class. Sora blushed and glanced away.

"Uh…do you want to join my mafia family?" Sora blurted.

"Mafia family…?" Katsuro frowned for a moment, before exclaiming, "Absolutely, Sora-san!"

"Bu-but!" Sora began to explain, "This isn't a game! It's real! You don't have to if you don't want to!"

"That's ridiculous!" Katsuro exclaimed, "Of course I want to be in Sora-san's family! Hell, I'll be your right hand man!"

Sora facepalmed, realizing what he'd just gotten both himself and Katsuro into. However, something about it did seem exciting, and for whatever reason Sora was happy now…happy that he wasn't so alone.

...

 ***Idol as in a Buddhist idol, or a small statue to be worshipped or prayed over.**

 ****Name of Katsuro's mom and Jirou's wife.**

 **I actually kind of liked how this turned out. It was fairly short, and it hit all the right emotional beats. But, for those of you looking for a little more action, just wait for next arc. It'll be VERY actiony. Is that a word? I don't think so. Spell check certainly doesn't.**

 **Anyway, can any of you guys guess what Katsuro is the Guardian of? There have been a few guesses so far...maybe even correct. I'll reveal the answer next issue. A cookie goes to anyone who gets it right.**

 **...**

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: Reaper 1**

 **Teacher- I'd like to introduce to you all a new student transferring straight from Tokyo.**

 **?- M-my name is Obata Eiji. It-it's nice to meet you all.**

 **Reborn- Hm…**

 **Sora- What is it?**

 **Reborn- Your life is about to get a whole lot more interesting.**


	6. Reaper 1

**I'm going to have a really busy weekend, so I decided to put this up early. I don't think any of you will mind, haha!**

 **Thanks to all my many wonderful reviewers! I can't say it enough; I love you guys!**

 **i am mi-chan: Thank you for the kind words! Katsuro is kind of like a mixture of Hibari and Gokudera, certainly. He's unique in his own way though. You'll begin to really see that at the end of this arc.**

 **valery-chan: *hands over cookie* You got it! Katsuro is the eleventh Storm Guardian. I tried to make that obvious with the last scene. However, where I take his character and his role in the family will be pretty drastically different than Gokudera's, beginning at the end of this arc.**

 **saraj8ne: Thanks for reviewing! I know we've been communicating over email, so I won't reply to your reviews so much as advertise for your deviantart account. The username is saraj8neotacoku. Everyone, check it out! Sara's done some great work with her character designs of Sora and Katsuro, and she's currently working on a title page for the story!**

 **Sn0wk1tty: Katsuro and his dad are Storm, yep. Although, I don't know if that'll ever come into play with his father. We'll see.**

 **...**

Reborn! Again

Target 6 - Reaper 1

 _BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP_

Nakamura Sora groaned before halfheartedly hitting the snooze button on his alarm. He couldn't do it. He wouldn't. Every day for nearly an entire month he'd gone to school. He had suffered through Katsuro's obnoxious bodyguard routine. Most importantly, he had woken up early and been on time every one of those days.

But not today. He had tried so hard for so long. He had suffered so many times, and worst of all it was Monday! No, it wasn't happening. Not today…

Pain filled Sora's abdomen. Reborn. He had forgotten about Reborn.

"Wake up, Stupid Sora!" Reborn commanded, kicking Sora in the gut again.

"Agh! Fine!" Sora grumbled, pushing himself up. He groaned as he stood up, looking in the mirror. Full pajamas. It had become a habit. Sora used to just sleep in his boxers, but now with the memories being in boxers left him that wasn't an option.

Shortly after Sora had taken a shower and put on his uniform, the doorbell rang. Sora knew who it was…but why today?! He couldn't have a single day off!

"Coming!" Suzume called from the kitchen, rushing to the meet the guest. Sora groaned from the top of the stairs as his mother opened the door.

"Oh, Katsuro-kun! You're early today!" Suzume greeted, bubbly as usual. She was all too happy with Sora's new—and only—friend.

"Yep. I thought it'd be best to start off the week a little early, on the right foot. I know how tough Mondays can be," Katsuro admitted.

No. Nope. Sora couldn't do it. Even if he had to skip breakfast, he wasn't going to school with Katsuro. Sora ran back towards his room and opened up his balcony door. The balcony itself wasn't anything special, just a small metal plank with a plain view of Sora's backyard, but there were benefits to it. A small staircase attached to the balcony made it all too easy for Sora to sneak out on special occasions…like today.

"Not a chance!" Reborn kicked Sora down the stairs. The teen cried out as he rolled down step after step until he crashed atop a patch of flowers.

"What was that for?" Sora demanded. He rolled onto his back before sitting up, flinching at the pain.

"Leaving your family behind? Not a good habit, Sora. You'll constantly be targeted when you're the Vongola boss." Reborn grinned wickedly, before continuing, "I'd even bet you are now."

"Wha-what?!" Sora cried, "You think people…want me dead?!"

"Of course," Reborn hopped down the flight of stairs and landed on Sora's chest, making him recoil in pain, "It's a dangerous world we live in."

"We…" Sora muttered, "But I haven't even really agreed yet to…"

"Quiet!" Reborn slapped Sora. Before Sora could have a chance to complain about the attack, Katsuro rushed outside Sora's bedroom door and looked down over the balcony. He grinned when he saw Sora.

"Sora-san!" Katsuro quickly ran down the stairs. He knelt down and helped Sora off the ground.

"Katsuro…" Sora acknowledged.

"Don't worry, I've got you," Katsuro assured him, "It's my job as your right hand man and bodyguard, right? I'll help you whenever you need it."

When he finally made it back to his feet, Sora tested his ability to stand. After successfully doing so, he nodded towards Katsuro, motioning to be let go. Katsuro did as instructed.

"What happened?" Katsuro wondered.

Sora glanced at Reborn, who emotionlessly met his gaze, before he answered, "Just an accident. I'm a bit clumsy."

Katsuro nodded his head in understanding, "I guess this means training is out of the question then."

"Training…?" Sora muttered.

"Every day, always," Reborn answered for Katsuro, "And it's never not an option. Start running, Sora."

"But-!"

"No buts!"

Sora sighed, before limping off out of his backyard and down the street, Katsuro following just behind him.

 _ **-XI-**_

Sora sat, head resting on his arms, in his desk, silently wishing for school to never start. The training had been awful. His body ached horribly. Even just trying to sleep on his desk caused him intense pain.

"Attention, class!"

Sora reluctantly looked up, but continued to rest his head on his arms. A short teen with long navy blue bangs stood at the front of the room beside the teacher. The teen was dressed in standard Nami garb, only with a jacket over his button up. The blue-haired boy gripped his left arm tightly with his right hand and glanced around the room anxiously, blushing.

The teacher began, "I'd like to introduce to you a new student transferring straight from Tokyo. It's a little odd, yes, as it's the middle of the year, but I hope you'll treat him like he's been here all year long."

The shy teen stepped forward, still blushing furiously, "M-my name is Obata Eiji. I-It's nice to meet you all. I hope we c-can be friends."

"Hm…" Reborn popped out of a large pencil sharpener by Sora's desk. The young man had grown used to Reborn's sudden appearances. His arrival didn't surprise him, but Sora couldn't help but be curious at Reborn's apparent interest in the new boy. He couldn't take his eyes off of him.

"What is it?" Sora wondered.

"Your life is about to get a whole lot more interesting," Reborn replied cryptically.

"What does that mean?" Sora deadpanned, but to no avail. Reborn had disappeared back into the pencil sharpener.

"Mr. Obata, your seat is…" the teacher patted Eiji on his shoulder. The teen pointed to the desk behind Sora.

"Over there behind Nakamura Sora, correct?" Eiji interrupted. Sora frowned. Odd. Eiji knew his name. Something was off about this kid.

"Why…yes," the teacher looked down incredulously at his seating chart. Meanwhile, Eiji walked over to the desk behind Sora and sat down. Two rows up, Katsuro was fuming in his seat.

"How dare he sit by Sora-san…" Katsuro growled.

In the meantime, Eiji took no time to introduce himself, "It's a p-pleasure to meet you, Sora-kun."

"Pleasure to meet you too," Sora casually replied. What Reborn had said— _your life is about to get a whole lot more interesting—_ did that have to do with Eiji?

 _ **-XI-**_

Finally it came time for lunch, and Sora couldn't have been happier. Well, he would have been a little more excited if Katsuro hadn't decided to follow him around for the trillionth time.

"So, what is it today, Boss?" Katsuro asked as he inspected his lunch bag, "Did your mom pack you egg rolls or a sandwich? I got curry…"

"Sandwich. It's a sandwich every day," Sora muttered.

"Well, if you don't like it, you can have my…" Katsuro stopped speaking mid-sentence. In fact, he stopped walking altogether.

"Katsuro?" Sora stopped too, "What's wrong?"

Katsuro pointed towards the edge of the schoolyard, where two upperclassmen were picking on a smaller boy.

"It's that bastard Akamaru again, picking on some kid…In fact, I think it's that no good Eiji." Katsuro paused, before adding, "That actually makes it a little better."

"Eiji…?" Sora squinted to see more clearly. Yep, indeed it was Akamaru and a pal of his picking on Eiji. That wasn't good.

"We need to do something," Sora stated, already jogging towards the incident.

"Uh—Sora-san!" Katsuro ran to catch up to him, "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely," Sora nodded.

The duo got within hearing distance after a few seconds. Akamaru was speaking.

"So, Obata, we thought we'd give you a little introduction to Nami Middle. How's that sound?" The bully's partner laughed cruelly.

Eiji frowned, a devilish look in his eyes, "Please do not make me…"

"Hey, Akamaru!" Sora shouted, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Akamaru and his partner swiveled around to meet the two new arrivals.

"Keep walking, Nakamura," Akamaru growled.

"Not in this lifetime," Sora retorted. Eiji stared at the confrontation, confusion evident on his face.

"Well, it's going to be a lot shorter than you think." Akamaru stepped forward, threateningly slamming his fist into his other hand.

"Boss, let me handle this." Katsuro got between the two verbal combatants.

Akamaru grinned, "Gotta have that psycho save you again, Nakamura?"

Sora shook his head, pushing Katsuro to the side, "No, Katsuro. I don't want to do this, but if it really comes down to a fight then I'll take Akamaru. You fight ugly over there."

"Can you be more specific? You mean Akamaru's buddy, right?" Katsuro quipped. He pulled out a hammer from his belt.

Suddenly, Reborn hopped onto Sora's shoulder, appearing from nowhere. Sora recoiled, nearly falling to the ground.

"REBORN?!" Sora exclaimed. So much for being used to his sudden appearances.

"Do you need the Dying Will bullet?" Reborn asked, ignoring Sora's surprise.

Sora shook off Reborn's arrival and affirmed, "No, I don't."

"Good," Reborn hopped off Sora.

"You're wasting my time!" Akamaru roared, charging Sora. He swung his fist wildly. Meanwhile, Katsuro engaged the other bully.

Sora ducked under Akamaru's wild punch. It was time for his ultimate fighting technique—prank style! Sora tossed a small pellet into the air and it exploded into a burst of confetti, causing Akamaru to flinch. He then followed up by kicking his feet out from under him. Akamaru fell onto his back.

"My famous confetti bomb trip," Sora grinned, wiping his nose cockily with his thumb, "Classic."

"You goddamn prankster! You're dead!" Akamaru growled, getting back onto his feet.

"You sure about that?"

Akamaru whirled around to come face to face with Katsuro, who held his hammer in one hand and the collar of Akamaru's unconscious partner in the other.

"Kol…?" Akamaru muttered disbelievingly.

"Take him and go," Katsuro grinned wickedly, "Or else."

Akamaru gulped. He grabbed Kol and hastily ran off, dragging his friend over the rough ground as he left. For possibly the first time in forever, the bully didn't have a snarky comment to make or a rude retort. He simply silently hurried off, his tail between his legs.

Sora grinned, holding his fist out to his friend, "Nice job, Katsuro!"

The fist bump was nearly returned in kind, but Sora recoiled at the last second, pulling his hand away.

"I mean…uh…" Sora didn't know what to say. He blushed and rubbed the back of his head embarrassedly. Reborn sweat dropped.

"Stupid Sora…"

All this time, Obata Eiji had intently watched the fight. Sora had certainly surprised him. The teen had more hidden talents than he would have guessed.

The shorter young man stepped forward and smiled, "Thanks for that, Sora-kun, Katsuro-kun!"

"…You know my name?" Katsuro wondered.

Sora returned the smile, "It's no problem, Eiji. And don't worry about those tools. They're all bark and no bite."

"Haha! Thank you anyway, Sora-kun," and after a brief pause, "Well, I must be off." Eiji bowed, still smiling. "I hope to see you two at the field trip tomorrow!"

"Wait—the field trip to the history museum is tomorrow?!" Sora exclaimed. Reborn jumped up and kicked him.

"Stupid Sora!"

Eiji and Katsuro both laughed. The shorter teen said his goodbyes again and then exchanged one final glance with Reborn before running off. Reborn stared at Eiji in turn as he jogged away.

' _Yes, there is no doubt. That scar on his hand. The 'II.' It gives it all away.'_

' _Sora's life will certainly be much more interesting from now on…'_

 _..._

 **In case you skipped past my review responses, check out saraj8ne's deviantart account - saraj8neotacoku - for wonderful fan art of Sora and Katsuro! As for an update on my Youtube page, I'm making it today. However, I'm still struggling to figure out what type of video I want to do first and how I want to approach the account, generally speaking.**

 **...**

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: Reaper 2**

 **?- Welcome to the Namimori National History Museum!**

 **Kori- 'Sup, Sora-nii!**

 **Sora- Gah! Kori! What are you doing here?**

 **Kori- The field trip's for the whole school, remember? Heh, Onii-chan, I think I'm going to spend the rest of the day with you!**

 **Sora- What? NOoooOOOOooOO!**

 **Eiji- Sora-kun, you make this too easy.**

 **Sora- Eiji, what the hell are you doing?!**

 **Reborn- Isn't it obvious, Stupid Sora…**


	7. Reaper 2

**Here's chapter 7! I hope you enjoy it! And let's see if we can get a few more reviews this time around.**

 **valery-chan: Eiji? Well, all I can tell you is he'll play a very important role in the story.**

 **saraj8ne: I meant 'tools,' as in the slang term. Thanks for reviewing, as always!**

 **...**

Reborn! Again

Target 7 - Reaper 2

"Wake up, Kori!" Sora pulled the comforter off of his little brother's bed as the pink-haired boy groaned. "You overslept! You're late for school!"

"Shuddup," Kori muttered, rolling over and pulling his legs up near his chest to keep warm, "You're not fooling anyone, Aniki."

Sora frowned. He glanced at the clock. 6:34. The plan wasn't going his way.

"C'mon, Kori! I'm serious!" Sora said.

"Go to sleep," Kori shot back.

Sora sighed, realizing his brother's perseverance outdid his prank. With no other options left, Sora decided to go with plan B. He leaped up, planning to land atop Kori and drag him out of bed. In response, while Sora was in mid-air, Kori smacked him to the ground.

"G'night," Kori muttered, yawning as his brother nursed his cheek.

 _ **-XI-**_

About half an hour later, both Sora and Kori sat at the kitchen counter, eating bowls of cereal. Suzume stood at the end of the table, leaning over it and reading the newspaper on her tablet.

"Mom, believe it or not, Sora-nii tried to prank me earlier this morning," Kori explained, far too bored with the silence.

"So that's what the commotion was earlier." Suzume shook her head. "It shouldn't be a surprise at this point."

"I was only trying to get revenge for last week," Sora retorted before grumpily taking a bite of his cereal.

"Tt. The prank king has been dethroned," Kori teased, before adding with a sly smile, "I guess Reborn has had an effect on you."

Sora froze mid-bite. He looked around. The baby wasn't in sight. Odd. He hadn't seen Reborn all morning.

"Have you guys seen Reborn?" Sora asked.

"He sleeps in your room," Kori pointed out.

"I haven't, no," Suzume looked up, worried. "Is something wrong?"

Sora frowned, "I don't know…" Upon his mother's continued distress, he added, "I'm sure everything's okay."

"Of course everything's okay!" Reborn appeared from out of nowhere, kicking Sora in the face and thereby knocking cereal out of his mouth. Suzume and Kori laughed.

' _What is it with my cheeks?'_ The teen thought as he massaged his face and glared at Reborn. "Where were you?"

"Clean up the mess you made," Reborn ordered, ignoring the teen's question.

Sora paused to glance at the cereal on the ground before looking back at Reborn incredulously, "The mess _who_ made?"

Reborn frowned. Sora gulped and immediately got down out of the chair and onto his hands and knees.

"I've got it!" Sora exclaimed, leaving his mother and brother to continue to laugh at the two.

 _ **-XI-**_

Later, at Nami Middle after a grueling half hour of training, Sora had managed to evade Katsuro and make his way onto the school bus alone, ready for the field trip. As he edged up the steps, he spied Hikari sitting alone near the back. Sora began to make his way to her when, as he was crossing down the aisle, he found himself knocked to the side and into a seat by a sudden force.

Sora immediately looked to face the jerk who had pushed him, only to—surprise surprise—find Akamaru glaring at him.

"It was an accident," Akamaru spoke up before Sora could, and then turned back to his delinquent girlfriend. Sora sighed and looked back at Hikari. Since he'd fallen, she had been joined by one of her friends. Great. Just great.

"Um…Sora-kun."

Sora was finally drawn to look at the person seated next to him. Obata Eiji stared down at the ground, blushing.

"You can sit here if you want," Eiji finished, never managing to meet Sora's gaze. The blond paused for a moment to consider his options. ' _Could be worse.'_

Sora leaned back in his seat and used his hands as a pillow, "What's up, Eiji?"

Near the front of the bus, Katsuro scanned over the crowded seats before settling on Sora and Eiji. He grimaced.

Meanwhile, Eiji replied gingerly, "Not m-much. J-just excited for the field trip."

"Yeah…I don't know. I'm not really feeling it. I mean, it—" Sora stopped mid-sentence when he caught sight of a scar on the back of Eiji's left hand: an enormous 'II.'

"Eiji, what's that?" Sora pointed at the scar. Eiji froze and Sora swore all the embarrassment and timidity disappeared from his eyes for a moment. However, as quickly as it came, the change of personality was gone.

"This—this is…"

"Hey, Sora-san!" Katsuro leaned over Sora and hopped in between the blond and Eiji, causing the three of them to be squeezed into a two-person seat. He grinned wickedly as he continued, "You excited for this trip?"

Sora groaned as Katsuro continued to explain about how obsessed he was with Japanese history and the crazy conspiracies that came with it. Meanwhile, Eiji just gazed emotionlessly at his scar.

 _ **-XI-**_

"Welcome to the Namimori National History Museum!" The curator exclaimed, his arms out wide. All of the students before him let out some form of complaint: a groan, a curse word, or just muttering about how awful this was going to be. Near the back of the pack, still standing by the bus, Sora was no different.

"Stupid field trips…stupid curators…" Sora whispered.

"I can't wait!" Katsuro pumped his fist into the air. Eiji merely smiled meekly, standing on the other side of Sora.

As the curator let the students in and explained how they had a special presentation for Nami Middle, Sora was dragged to the side. Kori grinned at him, his arm tautly wound around his brother's shoulders.

"'Sup, Sora-nii!" Kori greeted. The pink-haired boy had on an untucked white button up shirt, blue slacks and a navy tie. The tie hung down loosely over his collar and Kori's top few buttons remained undone, exposing part of his pale chest.

Sora recoiled and nearly fell over from shock, the contents of his backpack sloshing around from the sudden movement. The teen felt a sharp pain in his back as he responded, "Gah! Kori! What are you doing here?"

Kori sighed, shaking his head disappointedly, "The field trip's for the whole school, remember?" Something mischievous arose in Kori's eyes. "Heh. Onii-chan, I think I'm going to spend the rest of the day with you!"

Sora's jaw dropped. Katsuro and Eiji weren't enough…now his brother too?

"What?" he exclaimed before comically collapsing to the ground, "NoooOOOoooOO!"

"I think it's nice your brother is so loyal," Katsuro gave his approval.

Eiji frowned, "I don't know…"

All eyes focused in on the blue-haired boy. Eiji glanced at the ground. He held his hand out to Kori, "I mean, it's nice to meet you, Kori-kun!"

Kori smiled steadily while he shook Eiji's hand. "I didn't know you had so many friends, Onii-chan."

"Shut up," Sora shot back as the four entered the museum.

 _ **-XI-**_

Eventually, the time came for the students to split into groups with separate tour guides. Luckily—or unluckily in Sora's case—the students got to pick their own groups. Sora, Kori, Katsuro and Eiji all joined a larger group containing a number of first years.

Halfway through the Edo period exhibit, Eiji pulled Sora aside.

"What's up?" Sora wondered.

Eiji locked eyes with Sora before looking back at a taped off door at the front of the exhibit.

Sora frowned, "You want to…?"

"It's a new exhibit the museum hasn't opened to the public yet—something about the Sengoku period," Eiji explained, "Let's go."

"Go where now?" Katsuro forced his way between the two.

Eiji stared at his feet, "I was…we were…"

Sora sighed, scratching the back of his head, "Eiji wants to break the rules; he wants to check out the closed exhibit back there." He pointed to the taped off door.

Katsuro looked first at the door and then back at Sora, "It could be locked."

"I know," Sora agreed. Kori joined them now. Eiji's expression darkened further.

"Forget possibilities! Let's go before we get caught!" Kori whispered, already heading for the door. Sora glanced back at their group but no one was paying them any mind. He looked at Katsuro. The taller boy left it up to him. Sora nodded. Eiji breathed a sigh of relief.

The three set off after Kori, hurrying over to the taped off door. Sora checked around for any guards. There were none. Kori tried the door. It was rather miraculously open. Not even the tape got in the way.

Kori looked back at his older brother, "Let the adventure begin…"

The four entered the room. Inside, it was dark and dusty, immediately making Sora draw the conclusion that rather than being a new exhibit, this was one that had been closed for a long time. Kori tried a light switch by the door. No luck. The only light came from a couple windows at the edge of the room.

Eiji shut the door after them, as the others began to look around at the exhibit in awe. Sora couldn't help but smile. Ninjas—ninjas everywhere! Whole glass cases were full of shurikens and katanas. Murals of assassinations lined the walls. He couldn't believe it. Why would anyone ever keep this stuff from the public? It was way cooler than statues of three hundred-year-old chefs.

Suddenly, something stung Sora's neck. He reached back to slap at what felt like a bug bite, but found nothing. A chill echoed from that point down his spine. Sora shivered. Something had changed. Something was wrong.

Sora turned around. Eiji still remained at the door, staring coolly at him. The blue-haired boy tossed his backpack to the ground.

"Eiji, is something wrong…?" Sora asked. The others now turned to face the shy boy.

Suddenly, Reborn leaped out of Sora's backpack and landed on his head. The blond recoiled in surprise.

"Reborn!" Sora exclaimed.

"What's he doing here?" Kori asked.

"I had to see this," Reborn cryptically said, leaping off Sora's head and onto the floor.

 _What Reborn said: 'he had to see this...'_ Sora faced Eiji again. Both stared adamantly at the other.

"What's going on, Eiji?" Sora demanded. Katsuro walked up beside his friend. Kori did the same, standing opposite Katsuro.

An eerie smile crept over Eiji's lips. "Sora-kun, you make this too easy."

Without warning, Eiji reached down into his backpack and produced a kusarigama—two azure handheld scythes connected by a chain. Sora stepped back. Katsuro immediately pulled his hammer from his belt. Kori's eyes widened.

"Eiji, what the hell are you doing?" Sora shouted, panicked now.

Reborn smirked, "Isn't it obvious, Stupid Sora…"

" _Obata Eiji is here to kill you."_

"The hitman said it," Eiji raised a scythe, pointing it at Sora, "The Obata Clan demands your life as penance for the Vongola's sins."

"What? What the hell is he talking about?" Katsuro asked.

"This isn't normal!" Kori agreed.

"You haven't told them, Sora-kun? You haven't told them why they're about to die?" Eiji wondered.

Something clicked for Sora. He slunk his hand into his backpack, put a few things into his pockets, and then dropped his bag to the ground. Sora confidently stepped forward.

"Leave them out of this," Sora demanded.

"I can't. Not now." Eiji retorted. "Plus, it's like killing two birds with one stone. Maybe your brother has a bit of the Sky in him."

"He doesn't," Reborn replied before Sora could ask what he was talking about.

"Oh well," Eiji shrugged, smiling slightly, "I still have a job to do."

Sora set his feet apart and pulled his hands up into a fighting stance. He glared at Eiji. "I thought we were friends."

"After one day? Because you 'saved' me? Nice try," Eiji shot back. He lowered his head and took a deep breath. Sweat beaded down Sora's forehead. Both Kori and Katsuro were frozen in place. Reborn crossed his arms.

Eiji looked up, a monster in his eyes.

" _Time to die, Demon Head!"_

 **...**

 **WHAT?! Eiji's an assassin! Didn't see that one coming. ...Oh wait, I'm the author. Yes, I did. XD**

 **My Youtube channel is up. Just subscribe to "AllStarDrake." The first video has been filmed and should be up in about a week when I return from a trip.**

 **...**

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: Reaper 3**

 **Sora- I won't let you hurt my friends!**

 **Reborn- Fight, Sora. Fight!**

 **Sora- Prank Style: Confetti Punch!**

 **Kori- ANI, I'LL SAVE YOU!**

 **Eiji- The Vongola's murderous age is over. I am the vengeance of the fallen. I am the Reaper!**


	8. Reaper 3

**I have a good feeling about this issue. End of an arc, all that. I hope you guys enjoy it, and we manage a few more reviews this chapter!**

 **saraj8ne: I'm glad it's unique and you're enjoying it! I enjoyed writing the museum in. We might return to it in the future.**

 **Sn0wk1tty: Get ready for a badass fight! As for Kori, wait and see. You might just get a major hint to his DW flame this issue.**

 **...**

Reborn! Again

Target 8 – Reaper 3

 **...**

"I won't let you hurt my friends!"

Sora rolled up his sleeves and walked towards Obata Eiji, his secret assassin. The blond paused for a moment to look back at Kori. He shrugged and added, "And my little brother."

Eiji grinned cruelly, "Good luck with that."

The blue-haired assassin leaped into the air and threw one of his chain scythes at Sora. The blond rolled to the side to dodge it, and Eiji instinctively returned the blade to his hand by pulling on its chain.

Away from the battle, Kori finally managed to unfreeze himself, shock replaced with panic. "We have to do something!"

"This is your brother's fight. Interfere and I'll kill you," Reborn threatened, effectively stopping Kori in his tracks. The preteen was both surprised by the sudden outburst and impressed. Reborn was scary for someone pushing a foot tall.

Kori turned his attention back to the battle. He could tell just from watching that Eiji was leagues ahead of his brother in skill. If he fought alone any longer…

"Eiji will kill him!" Kori argued.

"Maybe," Reborn agreed, "He is fighting the chosen successor to the fiercest ninja clan in the world; he's fighting the Reaper."

"Reaper…." Kori muttered incredulously, the absurdity of the situation finally registering.

Meanwhile, Katsuro watched the fight, his body quivering with fear.

The battle at hand had gone nowhere in its first half minute. Eiji simply continued to taunt Sora with his scythes, while the other boy tried and failed to make it within hitting-range of the assassin. Each time he went in for a blow, Eiji threw one of his blades at him, forcing him to back up. It was a seemingly never-ending cycle.

"You're not a pushover; I'll give you that," Eiji admitted, "But I should have expected that after yesterday."

"I'd say thank you, but you _are_ trying to kill me," Sora quipped, dodging another of Eiji's scythes. The other boy merely smirked in response.

' _I've only got another minute in me before I start slowing down. I have to make my move now!'_ Sora thought.

After dodging another of Eiji's throws, Sora grabbed ahold of the chain and used the momentum of the assassin's pull to roll in close to him. Eiji immediately responded by swinging down his other scythe, aiming for a done-in-one blow, but Sora managed to duck under that. The blond produced a small black pellet from his pocket.

"Prank style—" Sora threw the pellet into Eiji's face, causing it to explode into a burst of confetti. "Confetti punch!"

As Sora went in for the punch, Eiji grabbed his wrist and put him into an armbar hold. He then proceeded to bring one of his scythes down upon Sora's neck. Luckily, the boy managed to dodge most of the blow by pushing away, overpowering Eiji. However, the assassin did more than graze Sora. He cut him deeply over his chest, nearly tearing his shirt in two.

Sora didn't even grunt in response to the pain, instead simply gritting his teeth and jumping back to safety.

"That all you got?" Sora spat.

Reborn smirked. Kori and Katsuro's jaws both dropped.

"Since when was Sora-nii such a bad ass?" Kori addressed the elephant in the room.

' _This is different…different than he's even been before. Sora knows his life is on the line.'_ Katsuro thought. ' _How can he be so calm in a situation like this? Just who the hell is Sora really?'_

Meanwhile, Eiji had taken a second to assess just how much damage he had dealt. ' _Who cares how the Demon Head reacts to pain? It won't mean a thing when he's a cold, quiet corpse.'_

"That wound isn't fatal," Eiji began.

"Believe me, I know," Sora interjected.

"But," Eiji continued with a grin, "You're as good as dead already. Give up. I'll make it quick."

Sora panted for a moment, the wound slowly causing his body to go into shock. He tried and failed miserably to hide his weakness. Eiji clearly could tell he was about to collapse. He as good as said it.

"Like hell," Sora growled through gritted teeth.

"Tch. Stop talking. Fight, Sora—" Reborn raised his arm and Leon transformed into a pistol in his hand, "Fight!"

Both Eiji's and Sora's eyes went wide upon seeing the gun. Sora gulped.

"Not this again…"

"STOP!" Kori hit the pistol out of Reborn's hands, launching it into the air and causing it to go off. The bullet ricocheted off a wall, off the ceiling and back towards the boy. Realization rather quickly dawned on Kori that the bullet was now headed straight for him.

Unable to move away in time, Kori helplessly fell under the spell of the Dying Will Bullet as it lodged itself into his forehead. The pink-haired preteen collapsed.

"Hahahaha!" Eiji bent over, laughing. "First, he tries to kill you, Sora-kun, and then—heh—God, it's priceless!"

Sora eyed his brother warily. "You have no idea what's coming, Eiji…"

The assassin stopped chuckling. Sora seemed so serious. "What are you…?"

"RE-BORN!" Kori rose up onto his feet, defying gravity. As he flipped up, all of his clothes except his lightning bolt boxers burnt away. Weird or not, Kori's nudity was hardly the most unusual thing about his appearance. Burning brightly over the boy's forehead was a crackling, green flame.

"I'll save my older brother with my Dying Will!" Kori declared, before immediately leaping to the side, away from the fight.

"Uh…Eiji's that way," Sora muttered, pointing at the assassin.

Eiji grimaced and threw a blade at Kori. "Live like an idiot, die like an idiot."

Kori stopped beside a glass case filled with weapons. Catching sight of the incoming blade, the pink-haired boy jumped over the scythe, causing the projectile to crash into the case, shattering the glass. As Eiji pulled back the blade, both Sora and Katsuro braced themselves for an alarm. Nothing happened.

Sora sweatdropped. "What the hell did you do to the museum?"

"The Obata Clan owns it, Stupid Sora," Reborn chided.

"Oh…that's…" Sora's eyes suddenly glazed over and the boy collapsed. "Cool, I guess…"

Meanwhile, Kori grabbed a bow and a satchel of arrows from the broken case, and began firing at Eiji. The ninja boy managed to avoid all of the arrows, but even he couldn't dodge and attack Kori at the same time. The battle was going nowhere.

"ONII-CHAN, I'LL SAVE YOU!" Kori declared, firing his last arrow.

"And that's my cue," Eiji grinned, sliding under the last projectile on his knees before rolling onto his feet. He then charged Kori. The half-nude preteen threw the satchel away and charged his attacker. Both boys let loose a battle cry.

In the span of a second, Kori and Eiji passed one another. Seconds passed. Neither moved.

Suddenly, Eiji grimaced and fell to the ground, clutching his stomach. Katsuro finally broke free his frozen state and leaped with joy.

"He did it! Kori beat him!" Katsuro cheered. Reborn frowned.

As if in slow motion, Kori looked at his brother's unconscious body, smiled slightly, and then fell to the ground, a gash on his chest erupting with blood. The fire faded from his forehead as he collapsed, dropping the bow. Eiji managed to look back and grin.

"No…" Katsuro's face fell, "No, he couldn't have…"

With a grunt, Eiji pushed himself onto his feet, picked up his kusarigama, and began his victorious trek towards Sora.

Katsuro shook away any fear he had, and did the only thing he could think to do: he attacked. Hammer raised, Katsuro charged Eiji. The ninja simply stopped and looked at him, eyes wide with a murderous glare.

"Wanna die?" Eiji asked dispassionately.

Katsuro stopped, terrified, and dropped his hammer. After but a moment, he fell down onto his knees and began to weep.

Eiji continued on, his expression fading to serenity again, "Coward."

At last, death had arrived for Nakamura Sora. Eiji stood over the fallen boy, his kusarigama held loosely in his hands, and stared coolly at his victim.

"The Vongola's murderous age is over. I am the vengeance of the fallen…" Eiji raised one of his blades, "I AM THE REAPER!"

Faster than Eiji could react, Sora's hand shot out and latched onto the assassin's ankle. Sora pulled the shorter boy down and took control, hitting the kusarigama out of his hand and forcing the assassin against the ground with brute strength.

"But…but you…" Eiji muttered, awestruck. Reborn's lips curled into a sly smile.

"Me?" Sora grinned, "I employ Prank Style, and I just showed you my ultimate move—Playing Possum!"

Sora raised his hand and slugged Eiji in the nose, causing blood to gush out. The ninja boy grimaced.

"You were in shock!"

Punch.

"Give me break! I'm tougher than that!" Sora retorted.

Punch.

After a moment…"Who the hell are you?"

"Right back at you," Sora said.

Punch.

Eiji spat blood onto Sora's face. The blond flinched, but didn't bother to wipe it away for fear of losing the assassin.

"You were awake. You heard me. I avenge those whom the Vongola have murdered. I destroy the corrupt legacy of the Clam. I am the Reaper!" Eiji roared.

"God, you're so lame."

"What?" Eiji wasn't infuriated by the comment, so much as he was shocked.

Sora laughed a little. "You've got this stupid codename, and, I mean, you're literally a ninja but you ruined that by trying to kill me for…what? 'The fallen?' Dead people? Lame!"

"Don't you…" Eiji frowned. He stopped squirming. "Don't you have any honor?"

Sora let the boy go and stood up. He smiled and held his hand out to Eiji. "I make my own honor."

Eiji paused for a moment—just a moment—before leaping onto his feet. He pulled a knife out of his jacket and attempted to slit Sora's throat. The blond ducked under the attack and used Eiji's momentum to flip him over. Once again in control, Sora put his foot down on the assassin's chest. Eiji didn't move, merely coughing out guttural sobs.

"Why…why won't you kill me?" Eiji cried, "I tried to murder you and your friends! I have forsaken your forgiveness, and I—I failed!" Eiji slammed his fists onto the ground.

Sora sighed. "I don't know. I just…" The blond frowned. "Go, Eiji. I'm sorry we couldn't be friends."

Eiji could not move for a moment, caught in his own misery. Eventually, after Sora had dragged his brother beside Katsuro, who still remained frozen on the ground, the young assassin dragged himself onto his feet. Taking a deep breath, Eiji gripped his chest and limped out of the room, leaving the others in peace.

Reborn trotted over to Sora, who had long since collapsed onto the ground beside his friends.

"Not bad," the hitman said.

"Thanks…" Sora slowly began to fall back, his eyes drifting up, "I really…wasn't sure…how that would…"

On "go" the boy fell unconscious.

"Wake up, Stupid Sora!" Reborn leaped up and rocketed into Sora's stomach. The boy shot up, erupting into a coughing fit.

"I'm up…" Sora grumbled. He looked at the others. Katsuro managed a weak glance back.

"Katsuro…" Sora began. The dark-haired boy hopped up onto his feet before the blond could finish.

"I'm sorry, Sora-san, but I have to go," Katsuro said.

"But—"

Katsuro was already at the door. He stopped for a moment, his hand resting on the doorknob, to say one last thing…

"I…I really am sorry, Sora-san. I can't be a part of this."

"Katsuro," Sora tried to stand up, but couldn't, and grimaced in pain. "Wait!"

Katsuro was already long gone, leaving Sora to wonder: had his one, true friend left him forever?

...

 **Sorry for messing with your feels, but this whole Katsuro ordeal won't be resolved immediately. That said, this title does have quick pace.**

 **Please, please, please review! Two per issue is good, but I'd love if there were a few more. I know there's a number of you who read but don't review! Please inspire me by dropping one!**

 **In other news, my first Youtube video should be up soon. AllStarDrake is my username.**

 **...**

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: Fireworks**

 **Sora- Yo, Akamaru!**

 **Akamaru- If it isn't the delinquent himself…**

 **Hikari- Oh, who is this?**

 **Reborn- Ciaossu.**

 **Sora- I'm sorry about everything that happened.**

 **Katsuro- Don't give me that!**

 **Sora- What the hell does your promise really mean?**


	9. Fireworks

**Wow, I'm running out of issues quickly. I haven't had time to write one in a few weeks. Hopefully I can get right on it. For the next month, at least, you can expect weekly releases.**

 **valery-chan: No worries! Thanks for reviewing now! No point in hiding this...Kori is the Lightning Guardian.**

 **Sn0wk1tty: The Nakamuras definitely have something going for them, don't they? I wouldn't call Katsuro a wimp. I think most people would freak out if they were suddenly attacked by a ninja assassin and thrown into the mafia. However, he isn't loyal...at least so far.**

 **i am mi-chan: Thank you for the kind words! It really means a lot! :) Yeah, I definitely wanted to include a level of realism in the story to differentiate it from the original series. However, it's still based on an anime/manga. There'll be plenty of crazy fights, dialogue and humor.**

 **...**

Reborn! Again

Target 9 – Fireworks

A little over a week later, Sora's life had returned to normal. He was back in healthy condition. He had made a habit of skipping school—albeit because he had spent a week in the hospital. And, of course, he trained every day. That included on his way to school in the morning, in Dying Will Mode, in his boxers…

"Shit!" Sora cried out, finally breaking free of the fiery mode at Nami Middle's front gates.

"Ten minutes in Dying Will Mode. Not bad," Reborn chimed, trotting up behind Sora.

"Bag, please," Sora rested one hand on a knee while he used the other to reach back to Reborn. The hitman tossed him his backpack, and Sora snatched it out of the air. Sora immediately opened up the bag, not even noticing the ease and athleticism with which he caught it.

He produced a clean uniform from the backpack and began to scramble into the clothes while students passed by, not bothering to look at him. It turned out even his nudist habits were old news. However, some things never changed…

The cries of a nearby student drew Sora's gaze. Akamaru had an overweight, bespectacled kid cornered by the gate. Great, just great. Just how Sora wanted to start his day.

The blond began to hurry over towards the bully and his victim, completely unaware he was still not fully dressed, with his shirt unbuttoned, his pants undone, and no shoes on.

"Sora…?" Reborn wondered as the boy wandered away. He frowned and followed after him.

Before Sora could even reach Akamaru, someone else had begun to accost the bully. That was unexpected…until it wasn't. Once Sora realized who was confronting Akamaru, the situation became all too clear.

Akamine Hikari crossed her arms and aggressively got into the bully's face. "Back off, Akamaru!"

"Whoa! Calm down, Hikari-chan! It was just a game," Akamaru lied.

"As if that isn't the most stereotypical thing you could say," Hikari retorted, "I'm sure Sasuke-kun was just begging to give you his money."

"It was like Monopoly?" Akamaru attempted.

"Yo, Akamaru!" Sora shouted as he neared the bully.

The upperclassman began to growl out, "If it isn't the delinquent himself—" before freezing in place. The intensity in his gaze faded away, as did his strength. Akamaru seemed to shrink into the ground, before he ran off. .

"Please don't sic Saito on me!" Akamaru cried out as he fled.

"Run faster and I'll consider it," Sora shot back. Akamaru's distant sobs were his only response.

' _As if I could anyway,'_ Sora thought sadly, _'I haven't seen Katsuro since the museum incident.'_

Sora forced a confident smile and turned back to the situation at hand, expecting to be praised. Both Hikari and Sasuke only stared at him in turn. Sora's smile flipped upside down, and he looked between the two.

Finally, Hikari pointed at Sora and whispered, "Not to ruin the moment, but your clothes…"

Sora looked down at himself, just now remembering he had not finished getting dressed. He blushed, quickly scrambled behind a tree and began to finish up.

Meanwhile, Hikari faced Sasuke and smiled. "Sorry about Akamaru. He can be a handful sometimes."

Sasuke just stared back at Hikari with wide eyes in response. He tried to speak, but nothing came out. So, instead of talking, he blushed and ran away. Hikari tried to call after him, but it was no use. He wasn't going to stop.

By that point, Sora had finished and walked out from behind the tree. Reborn stepped up beside Sora, causing Hikari to finally notice the infant.

"Oh, who is this?" Hikari smiled and bent over to talk to the hitman.

"Ciaossu. My name is Reborn," he said simply.

"Oh my God! He's adorable, Sora-san!" Hikari picked up Reborn and enveloped him in a powerful hug. The hitman merely smirked, enjoying his position pressed against her chest.

"Before you get any ideas, he's not my little brother," Sora began.

"I'm Sora's home tutor," Reborn explained.

"He's so cuuuute!" Hikari exclaimed.

"Right," Sora nodded, a half-smile planted on his face. "Cute."

Before the situation could get even weirder for Sora, the bell rang. He breathed a sigh of relief as Hikari set Reborn gently on the ground.

"Bye bye, Reborn-chan," Hikari said. Reborn nodded in farewell.

"Bye, Hi—" Sora began, before the girl interrupted him.

"Sora-san, I'd love it if you'd come with me to the basketball game tonight," Hikari blurted.

Sora's eyes widened in shock and he blushed. Hikari matched his expression, turning as red as a cherry.

"Y-you can bring Reborn-chan if you'd like," Hikari said, looking at the ground.

"I'll, uh…" Sora gulped. He didn't know what to say.

"It's just, it's the game against Kokuyo Middle and I was thinking it would be nice if I, uh, had someone to go with," Hikari stuttered out.

"B-but…" Sora frowned. This didn't seem right. Hikari had plenty of friends to go with her. Why would she want to go with him? "Don't you want to—"

Pain replaced Sora's words as Reborn karate chopped his ankle. Sora bit his lip to repress a sob and knelt down to hold his injured leg. In the process, he allowed Reborn to whisper something into his ear.

"Say yes."

"YES!" Sora declared, tears streaming down his cheeks. "I'll go with you to the game with my dying will!"

Reborn shook his head and sighed. Sora had not been shot with a Dying Will Bullet. The teen was merely being dramatic.

Hikari, on the other hand, was beaming with enthusiasm. She didn't even seem to notice Sora's eccentric behavior or tears.

"Great! I guess, I'll, uh, see you later," Hikari stuttered.

"R-right," Sora said, wiping away tears.

The two parted ways without another word. Neither bothered to plan the details. They would come in due time.

Sora could not shake off embarrassment as he ran to class, and Hikari could not stop smiling. However, neither teen was suffering the purest, strongest emotions in the area. Crouched behind a tree, seething with rage and frustration, Sasuke watched the two go.

 _ **-XI-**_

After school, Sora had begun his trek back to his house when he suddenly found himself heading in another direction entirely. Reborn stopped him in his tracks.

"Is your sense of direction really that bad?" the hitman asked.

Afraid for his health, Sora immediately replied, "No! No…I just…I have a different destination. I just hadn't realized it yet."

Reborn nodded knowingly. Despite his student's complete lack of competence, he was quite aware of the layout of Namimori. He knew exactly where they were headed before he had even asked the question.

Soon enough, the two arrived at the front of the "Saito Repairs" shop. Sora took a deep breath and opened the door. The shop was empty, allowing its owner, Jirou, to immediately greet the two upon their entrance.

"Sora-kun, Reborn-kun, it's a pleasure as always," Jirou said, smiling. "Katsuro's in the back."

"Is he ill?" Sora asked, staring determinedly at the back door.

"...Yes and no." Jirou sighed. "He's troubled. He won't even talk to me about it…not that that's anything unusual."

Sora nodded and continued on to the back door. He waited for a moment, silently motivated himself, and then opened the door.

Katsuro was lying on a couch, a blanket covering his legs, watching TV. The black-haired teen quickly glanced back at Sora once, looked back at the TV as if he hadn't fully registered he was there, and then shot up, knocking over a bowl of chips. He stared at Sora with a dumbfounded expression.

"Hey, Katsuro-kun," Sora greeted weakly.

"Sora…" Katsuro muttered. "It's only been a week. How the hell are you already out of the hospital?"

Sora glanced down at Reborn before shrugging his shoulders. "I'm a quick healer." _'And I had the help of a certain limit-reducing bullet.'_

"And Kori…?"

"The same."

"Good," Katsuro's expression darkened and he sat back down. "Good."

"You didn't visit." Sora walked over to a chair and sat down. Katsuro wouldn't look up to meet Sora's gaze, merely managing to mute the television. Reborn hopped up beside Sora into a chair.

"I tried to a few times, but…" Katsuro didn't finish.

"I'm sorry about everything that happened," Sora said, his expression now nearly matching Katsuro's. "That was just one part of the crazy hell I call my life."

Suddenly, something seemed to break inside Katsuro. He glared at Sora, fury bubbling up inside him. "How the hell do you manage that, anyway? Living knowing you're in danger twenty-four, seven?"

"Hell if I know," Sora's volume began to rise, his own anger growing. The tension in the room was driving both of them up the wall.

"And when were you going to make it clear—abundantly clear—that _I_ was in danger?"

"I don't know," Sora retorted sarcastically, "How about the first day I told you about the whole goddamn mafia thing, and you blew it off!"

"Don't give me that—"

"Let me ask you something. Where were you when I was suffering? Hell, where were you before that, when I could have died fighting Eiji? What the hell does your promise really mean?"

"What promise?"

"The promise you made to be my right hand man!"

"That was—"

"To be my friend!"

Suddenly, silence enveloped the room. Both boys had stood up without even realizing it. Now, both sat down, Katsuro first, eyes sunken.

"I want to be your friend, Sora. I just don't want to be a part of this mafia… _thing._ With my father and I on good terms again, I finally have something to lose, and until I can figure out a way to be around you and not be a part of that, not risk losing everything I care about, I can't…" Katsuro held his head in his hands. "I can't be friends with you."

" _You're losing me."_

 _WHAM!_

The door slammed shut behind Sora as he stormed out of the room, tears threatening to burst out. The eyes of everyone in the shop, which included Jirou and two customers, all followed Sora as he left. That only made it worse. He didn't want to be seen like this.

Immediately upon exiting the repair shop, Sora looked back at Reborn, who simply stared up at him.

"I want to train, Reborn," Sora demanded, "Shoot me."

Reborn frowned. He wasn't one to argue with the boy. "Very well."

 _BANG!_

"RE-BORN!"

 _ **-XI-**_

After half an hour of training allowed Sora to burn off all his frustration and regret, he returned home to prepare for the coming basketball game. However, before he could open the front door, a loud thumping sound caught his attention. Sora immediately redirected himself to the back gate and opened it, entering the yard.

What Sora found didn't so much surprise him as it did disappoint him. Kori was training in the backyard, firing arrow after arrow at homemade targets that consisted of cardboard cutouts and old beanie babies. Each shot was successful, and each one resulted in Kori cursing under his breath, frustrated with God-knows-what.

The pink-haired boy was so entranced with his training regimen that he didn't even notice his older brother enter through the gate. Sora only managed to get Kori's attention after calling his name three times, each subsequent cry louder than the last. The pink-haired teen looked up dazedly, as if he hadn't slept in days.

"Sora, Reborn," the boy managed, wiping sweat off his brow.

Sora approached his brother, shutting the gate behind him, and said, "Please tell me you aren't training—"

"To be your right hand man, yes," Kori admitted, "I have to be stronger."

"Listen, Kori, _I'm_ not even going to be a part of this mafia crap, so you shouldn't worry about it," Sora said, much to Reborn's amusement. The hitman snickered.

"Even if I believed you, I'd still train. Whether you like or not, people are going to target you because of who you are," Kori argued. "I have to be able to protect you. I have to be able to protect Mom." The boy glanced away, embarrassed by his next remark. "I have to be able to protect myself."

Sora sighed, realizing that arguing was pointless. He used his hands as pillows to rest his head as he casually leaned back, and said, "Fine. You're funeral."

"That's kinda the opposite of my point," Kori retorted. He paused for a moment to consider something before adding, "Mom said dinner would be ready by seven."

Sora passed his brother by, carelessly waving the comment away. "Sure, sure. I'll have to eat quickly though. I'm going to the basketball game with Hika—" Sora stopped himself before he added fuel to a fire he didn't want to ignite. His brother would love to tease him about his date with Hikari, not that Sora considered it anything that serious. "With a friend."

"Eh?" Kori wondered.

"Nothing. Just go back to your training," Sora crowed.

"Whatever," the preteen mused, already turning back to his target practice.

Reborn spoke up as the two neared the back door, "It's good to have someone so loyal in your family. He'll make a fantastic subordinate."

"Kori is not going to be a part of this," Sora shot back, "Hell, there is no 'this' in the first place!"

Reborn kicked Sora's legs out from under him, sending him crashing into the door. The teen nursed his bruises as he stood back up, anger bubbling to the surface.

"Never argue with me," Reborn chided, leaping up onto Sora's shoulder, much to the teen's chagrin, to open the door, "Also, language."

Sora silently moped as the two entered his house. However, even he had to admit it could be worse. He could be in serious pain. The type of pain he felt when he battled Eiji. The type of pain he suffered in the hospital for a week. The type of pain his little brother had been forced to endure.

Sora still couldn't believe Kori wanted to be a part of the Vongola. Just a few days prior, right after they had left the hospital, he had made it abundantly clear to Sora how he felt about the matter.

 _ **-XI-**_

" _I'm in," Kori said seriously, an emotion he rarely showed lighting up his eyes—determination._

 _The two brothers sat across from each other in Sora's bedroom, the blond on his bed and his little brother in a chair. Reborn rested beside Sora and stared intensely at Kori as the brothers spoke. Sora had just explained the whole situation, including the Vongola, the Obata clan, his assassins and all the lunacy that came with them._

" _After everything I've just told you, you seriously want to be a part of this?" Sora wondered incredulously. Kori nodded. "And you're taking this so well because…?"_

" _There are weirder things in this world," Kori said._

" _Uh, no, there aren't," Sora retorted. "I'm thirteen and I'm supposed to be the boss of the fiercest mafia family in the world."_

"Candidat _e. Boss candidate," Reborn interjected._

" _Same thing," Sora whispered to himself before continuing, "I just wanted a normal life, and now I have all this…" He considered cursing, but thought better of it. "Stuff happening to me. And you want to be a part of it, Kori."_

" _Someone has to keep you from getting killed," Kori remarked playfully, yet with a near silent edge of seriousness._

" _What about you?" Sora pondered. "Who's going to protect you?"_

 _Kori smiled. "You, Ani. You'll protect me."_

 _Sora's lips curled up into a slight smile for a moment, before he collapsed back onto his bed and let out a deep sigh. "That makes no sense, Kor."_

" _Neither does our situation," Kori shot back._

" _Touché."_

 _There was silence for a moment as both boys considered what to say next. That left an opening for Reborn to speak up._

" _Sora is lucky to have you as his subordinate," the infant hitman stated._

 _Kori's smile faded from a smaller, possibly more genuine smile to his happy-go-lucky grin. "Subordinate? I'm gonna be his right hand man!"_

" _You'd still be my subordinate," Sora threw in._

 _Suddenly, an icy coldness replaced the casual delight of Kori's smile and he leaped atop his brother. "Well then maybe I'll just be the boss!"_

" _Wah! Kori, you—"_

 _Laughter broke past Sora's lips as the two wrestled around. Kori soon did the same, erupting into a state of guffawing. As they continued to laugh, the two brothers finally relaxed, Kori rolling off his brother's bed, and enjoyed the oddly soothing laughing fit._

 _Meanwhile, Reborn rested on his new perch atop Sora's dresser. The tiniest of smiles crept over his lips._

 _ **-XI-**_

Two and a half hours and a hastily eaten dinner after returning from Saito Repairs, Sora arrived at Namimori Middle for the event of the week: his pseudo-date with Akamine Hikari. Or, y'know, the big rival basketball game with Kokuyo Middle, depending on whether or not you had blond hair, were a boss candidate for the most prestigious mafia family in the world, and actually cared about basketball.

Sora hadn't dressed up for the date, but he tried his best to look decent. He wore clean jeans, tennis shoes, a red button up, and an unzipped black hoodie over it. His usually messy blond hair was actually combed back and relatively tame. He even had an unusual perk to his step, mostly thanks to the fact that he had outmaneuvered Reborn and escaped on his own. All in all, Sora looked and felt nice.

So, naturally it was with the utmost anxiety and fret that Sora opened up the door to the gymnasium and entered.

"Here we go…"

...

 **Just a reminder, please check out my new Youtube channel-AllStarDrake-for more info on this title. I should have a second video up soon! Also, please review! It's what really inspires my writing since KHR isn't published anymore.**

 **Also, yes, I am very aware that I haven't explained the…legal aftermath of the museum battle. Just wait for next issue. I'm not going to ignore the fact that Sora and his brother were nearly killed, and Eiji disappeared after two days at the school.**

 **...**

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: A Deadly Game**

 **?- Game…start!**

 **Reborn- The real game is about to begin.**

 **Sora- Really?**

 **Reborn- I'm not talking about basketball, Stupid Sora.**

 **Akamaru- What the hell is going on?**

 **?- I have a player to recruit…**


	10. A Deadly Game

**I'm so sorry for the wait! My life's been hell recently. On that optimistic note, I'm sorry to inform you guys the biweekly schedule will continue for the next two months. Sorry! I'll get back to the weekly stuff eventually.**

 **Please review, guys! I know we can do better than 2 per issue.**

 **valery-chan: I'm glad you're liking the characters as much as I am enjoying writing them!**

 **Sn0wk1tty: Thanks for just taking the time to drop a review!**

 **...**

Reborn! Again

Target 10 – A Deadly Game

Sora nervously entered the Nami Middle gymnasium, only to have his anxiety triple in effect at the sight before him. The gym was packed. He hadn't even reached the bleachers yet and he already struggled to mill through the crowd. Who would have guessed junior high basketball was so popular in such a small town? Then again, maybe that was it. Small towns typically lacked entertainment, and this rivalry match was the best Namimori could offer.

Sora tried and failed to spot Hikari in the crowd. Between its sheer mass and the fact that Sora was shorter than most of the adults around him, he never really had a chance. Luckily for him, a blond head in a sea of mostly black was easy to see.

"Sora-san!" Hikari cried out from a seat halfway up the home team's bleachers.

Sora's face instantly lit upon seeing the girl, causing him to blush after he recognized his innate excitement. She was just a friend, right? No reason to act so weird.

The blond made his way up the bleachers to an open seat beside Hikari. He awkwardly greeted the other girls—her friends—sitting beside her, and then sat down.

"I'm glad you came, Sora-san," Hikari said.

"Well, y'know, it's an important game," Sora dumbly replied, mentally hitting himself for his sheer incompetence.

"Yeah. I don't know if you heard this, but there's more to lose in this game than just pride. If we don't win here then we have to go undefeated to qualify to play in the spring playoffs," Hikari explained.

"Really?" Sora muttered rhetorically, surprised. He had assumed with all the hype surrounding Kagome-sempai that the team was actually good. Suddenly, Sora found himself truly cheering for the team. He supposed even he liked an underdog.

"So, uh, you can stop calling me 'Sora-san,'" Sora began, changing the subject, "Just Sora's fine."

Hikari looked at him blankly for a moment, causing Sora to wonder if he had said something to offend her. Before he could speak up and apologize, however, she smiled, cutting him off.

"'Just Sora,' eh?" she mused, her tone suddenly changing from its usual bubbliness to a keen bounce alight with mischief.

Sora frowned. "Yeah, is something wrong?"

"No, Just Sora," Hikari teased, "Everything's fine."

Sora laughed, and Hikari joined in. He honestly hadn't expected to, particularly at such an overdone, silly joke, but he laughed. Weird. He usually didn't even laugh at good jokes.

Suddenly, someone new spoke up, cutting off the laughter.

"Hey, Sora-kun!" The voice came from beside Hikari. Sora leaned forward to make out the other girl: a pretty black-haired volleyball player he assumed didn't even know he existed.

Right. That was happening. Sora had totally forgotten about his changed (temporary?) social status. It had started when he'd returned to school from the hospital. Suddenly, people he had never even talked to from every grade level greeted him in the hallways, and offered to sit with him at lunch. Of course, each time he had denied their request. He had a reputation to uphold after all.

Apparently his 'fame' was due to his unusual knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. First, students had been amused to discover he had ratted out Inu, a 'child abuser,' to the police after suffering the coach's abuse. Even the PE students who had been in the area at the time of the soccer incident denied any recollection of Katsuro's involvement in the matter.

Then, of course, the big reason: the museum. Sora knew that would be the subject of their conversation.

"Uh, hi…" Sora didn't know the black-haired girl's name.

"Kairi," Hikari whispered into his ear, saving the day. He flashed a brief smile to her in thanks before turning back to the conversation at hand.

"Kairi," Sora finished.

The girl paused to look around, as if what she was about to say was scandalous, and then leaned in to whisper, "So, is it true about that Obata kid?"

Sora feigned confusion, "What?"

Kairi creased her brow in frustration. "You know…?" Sora didn't reply. She sighed and continued, "Is it true Obata attacked you, your brother, and Katsuro, and then left? That he was the one who trashed the museum?"

"Ah…" Sora smiled, but he knew it looked fake. "No, Eiji didn't attack us. It was these thieves, and they came out of nowhere, and—"

Kairi just grimaced in annoyance and sat back upright. She didn't believe him. Of course. No matter how many strings Reborn had pulled—Sora was still surprised the baby had agreed to help at all—and no matter how many police officers, lawyers, or parents bought Sora's half-assed 'thief' story, the Nami kids wouldn't believe it. Even still, they all loved to interrogate Sora about the time he had almost died. Pretty gruesome, right? Welcome to Nami Middle.

Speaking of, the game was about to start. Just about every spectator had settled into his or her seat. The two opposing teams had stopped warming up and their five-man starting lineups were poised around center court.

Sora smirked as he looked out over Namimori's starting lineup. Most of the kids were relatively short for basketball players, even by junior high standards, and didn't look particularly athletic. This was made even worse by the fact that they all wore bright yellow uniforms, the color representing the Nami Middle mascot: the canary. Supposedly there was an amusing story behind the mascot; something to do with the discipline committee and a boy named Hibari.

One player did stand out as impressive amongst the crowd, however. One player Sora instantly recognized as Kagome Hideaki. The basketball star had deeply tanned skin and jet black hair buzzed down closely to his head. A single blond streak on the left side of his hair broke the 'standard athlete' look he had going, which included his muscular physique and enormous height. Kagome-sempai had to be at least as tall as Katsuro, which was really saying something.

Kokuyo's green-clad Falcons, on the other hand, seemed to be made up of Kagome-sempais. Each member of their starting lineup was enormous. Sora gulped. It didn't look like Namimori would stand much of a chance.

Hikari, meanwhile, just smiled at Sora's apparent interest in the game. He so rarely acted like this.

Kagome and an equally tall Kokuyo player walked right up to center court beside the ref. Tensions rose in the room. The referee looked between the two players. Kagome stared determinedly at the ball in the official's hand. The ref stuck his whistle in his mouth and gritted out…

"Game…start!" He blew the whistle and tossed the basketball into the air.

Immediately, both Kagome and his opponent leaped into the air. Sora gripped his pants right over his knees, caught in the immediate aura of competition that had overtaken the entire gym. Meanwhile, Kagome had managed to hit the ball back to a fellow Nami player. The home crowd cheered slightly as the Canaries slowed down and settled around Kokuyo's side of the court.

It happened faster than Sora expected. One second, the point guard—that is to say, the shortest player who handled control of the ball and acted as 'the leader' of sorts for the players on the court—passed the ball up in the air. The next, Kagome was there, seemingly floating over three Kokuyo players, ball in hand.

Kagome two-hand dunked the ball into the basket. An alley oop on the very first play, and the crowd went wild! Sora burst out of his seat and screamed louder than he knew he could. After a second, he realized what was going on and blushed, immediately jerking back down into his seat. He chuckled uncomfortably as the girls around him giggled.

The rest of the first half went about the same with the main exceptions being that Sora became slowly less and less embarrassed with himself as he cheered, and despite Nami's initial momentum, Kokuyo quickly took control of the game. Despite all of Kagome's impressive moves and shots, the score at the end of the first half was 25-20 in favor of Kokuyo Middle.

Even still, Sora was really enjoyed the game. He had always been a competitive sort of person, so he easily found himself drawn in by the team's inherent rivalry. He silently vowed to come watch more games, with or without Hikari.

"So, Hikari-chan," Sora began, turning to face Hikari, only to find himself silenced as a basketball came crashing down upon his head out of nowhere. As he tried to rub the pain away, he and Hikari looked down at the ball, only to find Reborn resting in a comfortable-looking compartment in the sphere.

"Oh, Sora-kun, I hadn't realized you brought Reborn-chan along," Hikari said apologetically.

"Neither had I," Sora fumed.

"I wouldn't worry about me," Reborn chimed in, "The real game is about to begin."

"Really?" Sora looked back at the court, only to find it empty, the players resting on their separate sides. He then glanced at the scoreboard before turning back to Reborn. "We still have nearly fifteen minutes left before the second half."

"I'm not talking about basketball, Stupid Sora," Reborn replied cryptically.

Suddenly, the lights to the gym shut off and the room blacked out. Gasps echoed around and Sora could make out some distinct moving. However, before his eyes could adjust to the darkness, a single light illuminated center court and the surrounding area.

A single chubby boy stood in the center of the light, sticking a small metal device back into his pocket. The apparent source of the black out, the boy, drew a rifle from over his shoulder and cocked it. No. Oh no. Sora couldn't believe his eyes. He recognized the boy. He recognized his rounder physique, his bespectacled face, his unruly black hair. Sora recognized Sasuke the second he saw him.

The armed boy seemed uncomfortable, angry, depressed, and ill all at the same time. It was all too obvious that when he raised his rifle, he intended to use it.

People began to scream. Sasuke fired into the air, roaring "quiet,' and silenced them.

"What the hell is going on?" A voice shouted from one of the front rows of seats. Oh God. Sora recognized that voice. Why the hell had Akamaru spoken up?

"Questioner, can you please come out," Sasuke smiled insanely, "Into the light."

Silence fell over the room. Nobody moved.

"NOW!" The armed boy demanded.

Immediately, there was a flurry of movement at the front and Akamaru was pushed into the light by an unknown few. He cursed back at them, but it didn't matter. He was stuck now. Everyone had seen him. Everyone including Sasuke.

This wasn't good. In fact, this was horrible. Namimori had no security guards. The nearest police station was fifteen minutes away. Things were about to go from bad to worse very quickly.

Sasuke sighed, almost dramatically, and pointed his rifle at Akamaru. The bully gulped and backed up a step. Sasuke shook his head and Akamaru froze in place.

"I had planned on shooting at random, hence the darkness," Sasuke motioned around with his rifle. When he came back around to Akamaru, he grinned devilishly. "But this is so much better. I hope you know, you're a big reason this is happening."

"P-please, don't do this. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I ever—"

"SHUT UP!" Sasuke cried, tightening his grip on the rifle. "Just shut up for once!"

Akamaru quieted down. Sora felt a twinge of movement beside him, but ignored it, assuming it was just his imagination. Who would be crazy enough to try to stop Sasuke when he was armed with a _rifle?_ Actually, Reborn could do something. Remembering the baby, Sora nearly asked him to help, but he knew what the baby's response would be so he turned back to the scene at hand.

Tears crept into Sasuke's eyes but he didn't hesitate as his finger inched towards the trigger. Oh God, this was really happening.

Akamaru closed his eyes, expecting the inevitable.

 _BANG!_

Gasps and screams exploded as loudly as the gunshot, but Akamaru wasn't dead. However, that didn't mean Sasuke hadn't fired at the bully. He had with the utmost intent to kill. Truth was, someone had come to Akamaru's rescue. Someone had taken the bullet for him.

Kagome Hideaki lay on the ground in a rapidly growing puddle of blood— _his_ blood. Sora felt like his heart was rising into his throat. This couldn't be happening. Kagome-sempai couldn't really be dead…

Turned out he wasn't. Kagome didn't cry out in pain or say something irritably to prove he was still alive. No, he just gritted his teeth and grabbed his injured leg. Sora heaved a sigh of relief. Kagome had been shot in the knee. For whatever reason, Kagome had over jumped and the bullet had torn into his leg. Thank God for minor miracles.

Meanwhile, Sasuke stared at the basketball star in shock. "Why…why would you…"

The lights flickered on. Someone had managed to fix the power. Of course. The darkness may have terrified most of the crowd into staying in place, but it also worked as a weapon for the few brave enough to make a difference. Sora grimaced, wishing he had been confident enough to help.

By that point, the lights had shaken Sasuke out of his initial state of shock, and he was back to murder mode. However, before he could refocus on Akamaru, someone else stepped between the bully and his would-be murderer.

Akamine Hikari stared Sasuke down, much to the shock of the armed boy and the rest of the crowd. Sora mentally slapped himself for not immediately realizing Hikari had left her seat. However, now that he had a personal stake in the matter, and the initial fear had worn off, he was ready to act. Sora crept onto his feet, much to Kairi's chagrin, and began to slowly creep forward.

"H-Hikari-chan," Sasuke stuttered out, lowering his rifle, "What are y-you doing?"

"I can't let you do this, Sasuke," Hikari firmly stated, her cheeks flushed. "I know you're better than this—than murder."

Something cracked in Sasuke. He raised his gun back up again with shaking hands and aimed it at Hikari. The girl bit her bottom lip, but didn't move.

"Of course! How the hell could you understand? Why would I ever expect you to get it?" Sasuke cried out, hysteria flooding his eyes alongside tears. "You're the student council president, the most likeable person on campus! I'm—I'm nothing! I'm a bug, b-but now I won't be the one getting squashed!"

"Sasuke, please…"

"NO!" Sasuke roared, before settling into an eerie quiet tone. "No. You don't understand. I have to do this. I—I—I've lived every day of my life since I can remember, waking up knowing I had to come to this hellhole, knowing when I did I'd be beaten and robbed. Every. Day. And then I'd see the girl…the one person who treated me decently—the girl I loved, and she'd ignore me. Every. Day." Hikari's already sullen expression darkened to the lowest levels of pity and regret at that comment. "And after school, I'd go home and—and my father…"

Sasuke's shaking stopped for a moment. "I've already dealt with him. Now you will understand my pain, and then—then I'll finally be able to die in peace."

The tremors hit again, making Sasuke even more dangerous, particularly as he neared the gun's trigger. Hikari took a step towards Sasuke, but the boy backed up and shouted, "Don't!"

"Sasuke, I'm sorry I never realized how you felt about me. I'm sorry you feel like this is what you have to do, but please, I'm begging you, believe me when I tell you it's not," Hikari said.

Sasuke lowered the rifle—just slightly. Hikari continued on, realizing this was working.

"You can get help. Things can be better. I swear, Sasuke, there are people who care about you. I care about you. Don't do this," Hikari continued. However, Sasuke seemed to be getting antsier. His finger inched closer to the trigger.

"Sasuke, if you really love me, you won't do this," Hikari stated firmly, but without any intensity or anger.

Tears blinded Sasuke's vision, but he still managed to right his rifle and aim it accurately. He took a deep breath and grimly said, "I'm sorry, Hikari-chan…"

Sora looked back at Reborn, his intentions obvious, and his resolve clear in his eyes. Reborn nodded knowingly. Leon transformed into a silenced pistol in his hand and he fired two clean shots at Sora's legs. The sound, while quiet, drew the attention of the people around the two. However, by that point Leon had already returned to his original form and the bullets had sunk into Sora's knees.

Sasuke wiped the tears from his eyes and raised the rifle just as Sora leaped through the air, almost soaring towards the armed boy. Before the trigger could be pulled or any fatal decision could be made, Sora tackled Sasuke to the ground, sending the rifle clattering out of his hands.

Silence hovered over the gym for a few seconds as the shock of what had just occurred settled over the room's occupants. Even Sora was a little surprised by his actions. Suddenly, all at once, the crowd erupted into applause. Kagome, even in his injured state, managed to clap. None of the support slowed down or distracted Sora, however. The boy merely ignored it all, holding Sasuke down.

The would-be murderer himself, on the other hand, was devoured by grief and began to sob. "I—I'm sorry. I give up. _I'm so sorry."_

Hikari ran up to the two and knelt down beside Sasuke. Sora looked up at her and she nodded. The blond stood up, allowing Sasuke to move freely. He didn't try for the gun. Instead, he merely pushed Hikari away when she tried to comfort him, and bent over the gym's wooden floor to cry.

Eventually, someone came over and apprehended Sasuke. The boy didn't fight them. He was resigned to his fate, and waited for the police to arrive. The gun, too, was picked up and taken into custody.

Meanwhile, the Nami basketball team attended to Kagome. Until the ambulance arrived, there was nothing they could do but apply pressure to the wound. However, his wound and the pain that came with it didn't faze Kagome. In fact, he was the done who demanded the game be finished, both for competitive reasons and because he thought it would brighten the crowd's spirits.

"What's the point? We're screwed without you, Kagome-sempai," a first year exclaimed. A third year began to scold him, but Kagome interrupted him.

"No, we're not." Kagome's eyes were glued to a certain boy huddled in the corner of the gym. "We have a chance if we get that kid to play."

The others followed Kagome's gaze, and a number of fellow second years immediately erupted into a chorus of negativity.

"But that's Nakamura Sora—"

"Sure, he may be the hero of the day, but he—I mean, frankly—he sucks at sports!"

"Not Nakamura…"

"Shut up," Kagome ordered. "You guys saw him jump. We can use that talent. With him, we can win."

"The refs probably won't even let him play—"

"With everything that's happened?" Kagome retorted. "Like hell."

Before any of the other players could speak up, Coach Yamanaka interjected, "It's your call, Hide."

Kagome smiled thankfully at his mentor and looked up at the players around him. They all knew what was coming. It did seem to be the only option, after all.

Kagome smirked confidently. "Help me up. I have a player to recruit."

...

 **Things got dark. Like, really dark. I apologize for that. I can't promise it won't happen again, however.**

 **...**

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: Vs. Kokuyo**

 **Kagome- Sora, I was wondering if you'd take my place on the team?**

 **Sora- But…**

 **Kagome- Please, Sora, I'll be indebted to you.**

 **Sora- Reborn, I need you to shoot me.**

 **Reborn- No. Figure this out yourself.**


	11. Vs Kokuyo Middle

**I'm so sorry this is so late! My life is hell right now. For starters, I have college and film school applications, which eat up my time. Then, I've got regular schoolwork. Those two would be enough to kill me, but I'm also the lead in my school's fall drama and I just started working at a comic book store! So, basically what I'm saying is my release dates will be iffy for a couple months. I hope to have everything sorted out and have a consistent publishing schedule again in January when I'm done with applications and the play. Until then, these will be up when I can finish them.**

 **saraj8ne: To differentiate this story from KHR, I wanted to play with some darker themes and a bit more realism. It won't take over the title, however. This will still very much be in the tone of KHR.**

 **valery-chan: I just had to put that nod in! I'm glad you liked it! Haha, great minds think alike!**

 **...**

Reborn! Again

Target 11 – Vs. Kokuyo Middle

Since the dramatic facedown with Sasuke, Sora had huddled over in the corner of the gymnasium alongside Hikari, both teens shaken by the incident. Neither spoke for a while, merely enjoying the comfort that they weren't alone in their suffering. Finally, just as Sora began to recover from the shock of the near-shooting, and just as he began to speak up, someone else interjected.

"Um…Sora-san, correct?"

The blond turned to look at the speaker, only to discover it was the injured basketball star himself—Kagome Hideaki-senpai. Of course, he hadn't gotten over here alone. Three of his teammates were carrying him.

"Yeah, that's right, Kagome-senpai," Sora answered, forcing his social anxiety to the back of his mind.

"Oh, please, just call me Hideaki, or Hide-kun," the basketball player said, half-smiling, "We're in the same grade after all."

That was right. It almost seemed unreal, but the behemoth before Sora was in his grade. Kagome was in class 2-B, so it was often easy to forget that the two were the same age.

"Okay, Hide-kun," Sora reluctantly agreed, "What's, uh, up?"

Sora noticed the other players' were uncomfortable, almost unhappy even. That wasn't a good sign. He had to admit that there was a number of reasons to be upset at that moment, but the way they kept glancing between him and Kagome made it almost seem…well, Sora couldn't think of the word. Foreboding? Maybe. Either way, what Kagome was about to ask couldn't be good.

"Sora-san—"

"Uh, you can just call me, Sora," the blond interrupted.

"Right, Sora," Kagome continued without a hint of frustration or nervousness, "I was wondering if you'd take my place on the team?"

Sora's eyes widened in shock, but before he could argue against the idea he caught sight of Kagome's wound and couldn't bring himself to speak up.

Kagome continued, "I saw you jump when you saved Hikari, and I think with talent you could really help us. Please. With you we have a chance of winning, and I don't know if you know, but—"

"If you lose the game, you have to go undefeated to make it to the playoffs," Sora nodded. Hikari smiled slightly. "I heard. But…"

Sora glanced at the ground. Even if he understood Kagome's sentiments, particularly regarding his 'ability' to jump, the idea still seemed ludicrous. What if he failed? What would Kagome, what would the fans and other players think of him? How could he live with himself knowing he had failed the school when it needed him most?

Almost as if he could read Sora's mind, Kagome assured, "No one will be mad if we lose, I promise. I mean, no one expects us to win anyway. It's just, if we did…" The boy's face lit up with the brightest, happiest smile Sora swore he had ever seen. "It would be _amazing_. Please, Sora, I'll be indebted to you. I'll do your math homework for life; I'll—"

Before Sora could interject or Kagome could continue, someone shouted from near the edge of the bleachers, "Hey, Kagome-senpai! The ambulance is here!"

Kagome looked back to fully register the comment before staring intensely at Sora. "So, what's your answer?"

The blond looked into Kagome's determined, hopeful eyes and he knew he couldn't say 'no.' So, he said, "Yes. I'll do it."

 _ **-XI-**_

And that's how Sora ended up standing on the basketball court twenty minutes later in a uniform, ready to play. He gulped as he looked at his fellow Nami players. It still seemed unbelievable that he was doing this. The score was 25-20 in favor of Kokuyo. He just hoped he could keep it from getting any worse.

Luckily, he wouldn't have to go at it alone. The other players had been hesitant about his involvement at first, but they warmed up over the remainder of the break, even reassuring him that he would be the key to their victory. While that might have helped some people, it made Sora feel worse. If he failed…well, again, he wouldn't fail alone.

The ref blew his whistle, and the game restarted. The crowd bustled anxiously as one of the Nami players through the ball in to the point guard. Sora nervously waited on the other side of the court, scrambling around at random. Fans and players alike eyed him, confused about his methods. Honestly, he didn't know what he was doing either. All he had down was that he needed to somehow get the basketball in the hoop. That was it. The rest? He'd figure it out as he went along.

Before Sora knew it, the ball was suddenly in his hands. He looked up, only now realizing he had no idea how to dribble. He tried, and failed horribly, bouncing the ball off his foot and allowing a Kokuyo player to steal it. They ran down the court and made a basic layup. The home fans all seemed to sigh resignedly at once. Forget the heroics, the failure Sora was his usual self again.

Nami took the ball back down the court, and this time Sora didn't even get to touch it. However, like the last play, Nami lost the ball and Kokuyo scored. This was going just great. The score was 29-20 in less than a minute into the second half.

On the _next_ play, Sora nearly immediately found himself in possession of the ball just beside the basket. The point guard looked at him nervously. He was about as sure of his move as Sora was. Two gigantic Kokuyo players surrounded the blond, and his anxiety reached new heights. He couldn't dribble. He couldn't move. He couldn't jump…oh wait, _yes_ he could.

 _ **-XI-**_

" _Reborn, please," Sora begged with only two minutes left until the second half. "I need you to…" The blond glanced around to make sure no one was within hearing distance. Luckily, being in the corner of the locker room had its benefits. "I need you to shoot me. In the legs."_

" _No. Figure this out yourself," the hitman retorted coldly._

" _Do you—do you understand how important this is?" Sora demanded._

" _It's a junior high basketball game, so yes, in fact, I do," Reborn asserted._

" _But—"_

" _No 'buts,'" Reborn said, "My answer will indefinitely be 'no.'"_

 _Sora sighed and ran his hands through his hair. He couldn't do this without the Dying Will Bullet's jumping ability…thing…whatever. Reborn wouldn't shoot him—which Sora had to admit was the oddest complaint he had ever had about the baby. If only he could give Reborn an incentive to use the Dying Will Bullets. If only… Suddenly, an idea popped into Sora's head. He turned back to Reborn, smiling mischievously._

" _If you try to take Leon from me, I_ will _kill you," Reborn stated matter-of-factly._

" _Wha-?! No! Please, don't—" Sora shook his head, refocusing himself. "Okay, here's the deal. Kagome said he owed me for the game. If we win, I'm willing to bet he'll feel even more indebted to me. I swear, if you shoot me—in the legs—I will personally ask him to join my…" Sora struggled to finish, but he managed to grit out, "My family."_

 _Reborn's lips curled up into a sly grin. "Now you're thinking like a boss."_

 _Sora sweatdropped. He didn't have a retort to that comment. After all, he had dug himself into this hole._

" _So…?" Sora pushed._

 _Reborn nodded. "You have yourself a deal."_

 _ **-XI-**_

' _Reborn,'_ Sora grimaced, thinking. _'Now is as good a time as any.'_

The shot clock was slowly flicking down. Sora had five seconds left. His teammates called for the ball, but he couldn't pass it to them one way or another. Four seconds. Reborn still hadn't fired. Three. Two.

That was when Sora felt a biting sensation in the back of his knees. He grinned and _jumped._

The Kokuyo players were too shocked to react. The crowd merely stared at Sora dumbfoundedly as he soared through the air towards the basket. And then—slam-dunk!

The crowd and the benched Nami players erupted into cheers. Sora smirked confidently as he hung onto the rim of the basket, looking around for Reborn. He saw Hikari, who cheered his name as loudly as she could. He saw the shocked expressions of the entire Kokuyo bench and spectator crowd. Then, he saw the hitman crouched alone in a shadowed corner of the gym, a silenced green rifle in his hands.

Just about then, Sora realized he had no idea how to get down from the basket. He glanced at the ground and vertigo hit him. That only further strengthened his resolve to hold onto the basket. Slowly, after a few seconds, people began to realize he wasn't moving. The ref called for Sora to drop down, but he wouldn't. It took the support of two of his fellow Canaries to help him down before the game could restart, much to the mixed disappointment and amusement of the crowd.

"Stupid Sora…" Reborn quietly chided.

The rest of the game went about as well as that play, leaving the spectators, coaches, and players alike floored. Kokuyo continued to score on most of their possessions, but there were enough botched plays that Nami managed to creep back up. The score with one minute left in the game was 52-52.

By this point, it had become a team effort. Kokuyo had begun to double and even triple team Sora, and while they couldn't stop him every time he got the ball, more often that not he would simply pass it off to an open player. Each time, that resulted in two points for Namimori.

This possession, however, was different. Nami passed the ball around for about ten seconds before Sora became the focus of the offense again. He leaped up with only two Kokuyo players on him. Easy enough, right? He had handled worse before, so why would this be any different?

Well, it turned out to be a lot different. Sora was horrified to discover that the Kokuyo players' heights allowed them to equal out his jump. But wait…that had never happened before. What the hell was going on? Suddenly it dawned on Sora. The bullets' effect had worn off. He was normal again.

The Kokuyo players smacked the ball out of Sora's hand and sprinted down the court. There was nothing the Canaries could do. The Falcons put the ball up and dunked it.

Sora looked around for Reborn, but the hitman was nowhere to be found. Wonderful. When he needed him most, Reborn disappeared.

The Nami players reset with forty seconds on the clock. The point guard immediately passed Sora the ball, and the blond threw it back. The PG frowned and went in to fake a layup. However, before he could even pass the ball, a Kokuyo player stole it and dribbled down the court.

Through sheer luck, a Nami player was near half court and managed to keep up with the dark-skinned Kokuyo player. However, that didn't mean he could stop his momentum. The Kokuyo player reached up for a simple layup. The Nami player tried to block the ball, but ended up smacking the other boy's arm, sending the ball way out of its trajectory.

The ref blew the whistle. The Nami player groaned as the official called a personal foul and the dark-skinned boy walked up to the free throw line for two free shots. The rest of the two teams got into position around the shooting boy. Sora waited near the back of the crowd, closer to half court, nervous.

The first shot went up and sinked in easily. Sora looked at the clock. It was frozen at twenty seconds. Sora focused on the shooter again. The dark-skinned boy dribbled the ball briefly, took a deep breath, and shot.

It missed. Immediately, all of the players scrambled for the free ball. A dog pile formed, and the ref begrudgingly blew the whistle. When the small crowd broke apart, it was revealed that the ball was in fact in the Canaries' possession.

The home crowd clapped but only a few cheers echoed over the gym. People were more nervous than anything.

The ball was in play before Sora could even really get back into place, meaning he was still caught behind the three-point line near the corner of the court. The point guard brought the basketball down, dribbling cautiously as the clocked ran faster than Sora thought was possible. Something had to be up with the scoreboard, right? There couldn't really be ten seconds left. Sweat dripped into Sora's eyes. He wiped it away, glanced around nervously, and blinked once when he saw a bright orange blur speeding towards him.

"Nakamura!"

Sora caught the ball, much to his surprise. He looked at the sphere blankly for a moment before discovering three Kokuyo players were surrounding him. He took a single step back with his right foot and protectively held the ball away from the opposing players.

"Shoot the ball!" another Canary cried.

Sora glanced up at the clock. Six seconds. Shit.

Sora looked between the enormous players before him. All stared at him determinedly.

One smiled wickedly, saying, "What? Something wrong, _kid_?"

Three seconds. Sora tried to jump back but ended up tripping over his feet. As a result, the ball slipped out of his hands mid-shot, rocketing towards the basket completely off-target. Sora mentally slapped himself. The crowd gasped.

Two seconds. The ball bounced off the backboard and onto the rim. _'We're screwed,'_ Sora thought.

One second. The ball clipped off the rim and rolled back. Sora swore it was leaning over the edge and then…

It went in. The crowd seemed as incredulous as Sora, because as the buzzer blared, nobody moved or spoke up. And then, all at once, the crowd cheered. Sora just gazed up at the basket in shock. He couldn't bring himself to move, even as a Kokuyo player patted him on the back, congratulating him, or as his teammates dragged him off the ground and onto their shoulders.

The score was 55-55. There was no overtime in junior high basketball. The game had ended in a tie. It turned out off-target for Sora was _on_ point.

Slowly, but pleasurably, Sora's lips curled up into an enormous toothy grin. The Canary basketball team carried him around as the home crowd surrounded him and cheered his name. Sora had never felt so _wanted_ before. He'd never felt like such a part of the community. Hell, he hadn't felt this _happy_ for as long as he could remember.

Meanwhile, standing together on the bleachers, Reborn and Hikari watched the scene with great amusement. However, there was something else alight in the brunette's eyes, something _different._

"Your training is going well," the girl stated.

Reborn remained dispassionate as ever as he responded, "I know."

"Even still, I'm afraid to ask: will he be ready?" Hikari questioned.

Reborn did not respond, which was an answer in and of itself.

"The boss will be disappointed to hear that." Hikari admitted without so much as a hint of real emotion. The girl stretched and yawned. "Oh, well, I suppose it's time for me to go. Keep me updated, will you?"

"Like you need my help," Reborn snapped.

Hikari leered at the hitman. Suddenly, the sly grin plastered on her face lightened considerably, and the edge in her eyes faded away.

Hikari trotted down the bleacher steps after the crowd, beaming, "Bye bye, Reborn-chan!"

The hitman watched the girl go, his eyes for once expressing something beyond annoyance: curiosity.

"I'd pity you, Sora," Reborn whispered, "If I only knew how."

...

 **Wait, whaaaat?! XD I hope you enjoyed that little tease.**

 **...**

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: Debt**

 **Sora- H-Hide-kun, you remember our deal, right?**

 **Kagome- Of course! I'll do anything to repay you!**

 **Sora- Uh, well, would you join my family? My, uh, mafia family?**

 **Kagome- Hey! Wait up! Aren't you Saito Katsuro?**

 **Katsuro- What's it to you?**

 **Kagome- Truth is, I'm actually…**


	12. Debt

**Hey, guys! I've finally managed to get this up! I just want to say, before I get into a little announcement that I don't blame you guys for not reviewing. I came in after like a month and a half, and explained I wasn't going to be posting much in the future. You guys were probably mad. I'm sorry about that. But please, please review! It really is a major part of my motivation to keep writing. For me, interacting with my reader base and receiving critiques is the second best part of writing (behind actually writing XD).**

 **Now-the announcement. Reborn! Again will be returning full force in December. On Christmas Day, December 25th, I will post the 13th issue, beginning a new arc that really gets into the meat of the story. No more "everyday" type stories (however unusual they were). Issues 1-12 were the "Daily Life" arc. Next up: well, read this issue and wait for the teaser at the end...**

 **However, I do have some slightly-less-than-good news. Reborn! Again will be biweekly, not weekly. That means every two weeks. I just can't handle a weekly schedule. Sorry. Each issue will be released on Saturday at about noon Central Standard Time. The second new issue will be posted on the first Saturday of January (in this one time case, not two weeks).**

 **valery-chan: I told you that there was more to Hikari than you'd expect! ;) I won't tell you if Hide's rain yet, but I will say that the answer to your question about him becoming a Guardian will be answered this issue. Lastly, thank you for reviewing! It really means a lot to me!**

 **...**

Reborn! Again

Target 12 – Debt

A day after the tragic shooting and victorious draw, Namimori Middle School bustled with lively, nervous energy that permeated through the general area, drawing the newly returned Katsuro's curiosity. Before he even entered the gates to the school, he could hear the excited whispers about a "basketball miracle" and the terrible "Sasuke." Katsuro was quite aware of a boy in his class by the same name, but surely the would-be murderer and the kind, quiet introvert were not one and the same. However, those thoughts quickly flooded out of his mind, replaced by a single focus upon seeing a certain blond-haired boy.

Nakamura Sora casually entered through the gates, almost surely unaware of the crowd slowly forming around him. Katsuro ignored the growing mass of people and hurried up to the blond.

"Sora-san!" Katsuro called.

The other teen's eyes instantly widened in surprise upon hearing Katsuro's voice, but the light in his eyes quickly dimmed as he remembered the events of the previous day. Sora quickened his pace, and in almost symbiotic fashion the crowd's growth rate multiplied exponentially. One moment, only a half a dozen people surrounded Sora, slowly developing the courage to speak to him. The next, the blond was encircled by over twenty upper and lowerclassmen alike, all blabbering about the game and his heroic save—both against Sasuke and Kokuyo.

"Sora-san, please!" Katsuro shouted, unable to push his way through the enormous crowd. Almost immediately he realized his voice had died out in the enormous wave of 'Sora-sama's and 'Sora-san's, even as the focus himself struggled to escape his admirers.

"Sora-sama, how'd you manage that last second shot?"

"Were you scared to stop that bastard Sasuke?"

A new, all-too-recognizable voice rose over the group, "C'mon, now, be nice. Sasuke wouldn't have ended up how he was if he hadn't been persecuted in the first place."

Another boy limped his way up to the edge of the crowd, only to have it part before him. The atmosphere's tone suddenly changed from that of exuberance to anxious curiosity. Silence settled over the population, leaving Sora red-faced, caught between two startled older girls clasping his shirt. Eventually, the man of the hour himself noticed the new arrival: the Moses capable of breaking the Red Sea in two. It was only after hearing the whispers of "Kagome-senpai" that Sora spoke up to greet the athlete.

"Hide-kun," Sora weakly muttered, scratching the back of his head worriedly. He wasn't sure what to make of the sight before him. Kagome Hideaki, glasses perked on his nose, used crutches to support himself, his right leg enveloped by an enormous cast.

"Hey, Sora!" Hide's lips twisted up into a bright smile as he greeted the other boy, and the tenseness in the crowd instantly evaporated.

Katsuro grimaced in shock. First a crowd of admirers, and now the super star athlete himself, Kagome Hideaki, was talking to Sora. What the hell had happened while he was gone?

"I just wanted to thank you for yesterday," Hide continued. "I heard all about the game from the rest of the team, and I'm completely indebted to you for your help! Thanks to you, we have a chance of making it to the playoffs!"

A few 'whoo's circled through the crowd.

"Uh, yeah! It was no problem!" Sora was too nervous to point out that they still had to win four out of five of the remaining games, and he wouldn't be partaking in them. Perhaps, even worse, Hide's leg… "Hide-kun…"

Hide noticed Sora's dismay and tried to wave it away. "Oh, this? It's nothing. Just a sprain." He lifted up his leg for emphasis. Sora bit back shock as he watched Hide hold up his injured leg. It certainly didn't look like a sprain…

Suddenly, Hide fell back onto the ground. Confusion quickly settled over the crowd, drawing Hide to hop back up onto his feet, albeit with frustration and quiet pain that did not go unnoticed by Sora.

"Just joking! That was a joke! Hahaha!" Hide smiled, but both Sora and Katsuro could read through it. However, the crowd bought it and quickly joined in. While the laughter continued, Hide whispered into Sora's ear, "Can we talk in private for a moment?"

Sora's eyes widened in shock as the request registered in his mind, but he immediately nodded. The two Middle School stars pushed their way through the crowd and disappeared behind the edge of the school building. The admirers and Katsuro alike would have followed them if the bell hadn't rung, drawing them all to class.

Meanwhile, both Sora and Hide continued their conversation. Sora was nervous that the taller boy's usual calm-yet-happy demeanor was a façade, but quickly discovered even the boy's injury couldn't really bring him down.

"Yeah, as I'm sure you can tell, it's way more serious than a sprain. My kneecap's shattered, and while the surgery was a success, there's something like an 80% chance I won't be able to walk without help ever again, let alone play basketball," Hide explained with an oddly cheery expression, before half-jokingly adding, "I didn't want to ruin the mood, so I might've lied a little."

"God, I'm sorry, Hide-kun. That's awful," Sora admitted.

"Well, to be honest, I just really wanted to get that off my chest, and class is starting, so if there's nothing else going on, then I'm gonna head out," Hide said.

Sora frowned. He wasn't about to bring up the mafia, not after what he had just heard. In fact, Sora was about to bid Hide goodbye before something caught his eye. Reborn was nestled into a tree, a green rifle in his hands, aiming steadily at Sora.

The blond jerked back, squeaking, "Shit!" The sudden reaction startled Hide, but before the jock could speak up, Sora hurriedly continued, "Actually, Hide-kun—"

"If this is about the rest of the season, I don't expect you to play," Hide added, casually continuing on, "After all, you're probably really busy with Vongola duties. I wouldn't want to bother the potential Eleventh with anything else."

The blond nodded. "Yeah, you're absolutely ri—" Sora cut himself off, realization dawning on him. "Wait, WHAT? How the hell do you know about the mafia?!"

Hide paused for a second, confused, before blushing and rubbing the back of his head embarrassedly, using his other arm to balance himself on his crutches. "Right, I shouldn't have expected you would have heard about small fry like me."

Hide settled back down, and continued, "Y'see, Sora, I'm actually a proud member of the Trota Famiglia. If you don't believe me, this—" The jock reached down his shirt and produced a small ring with a yellow quartz stone fashioned into it. The band dangled from a strand of leather string. "—is proof of my heritage as the second son of the Trota boss."

"WHAT THE FUCK?" Sora exclaimed, practically fainting from shock. He thought his life had reached the climax of weirdness, but no, here Hide was casually changing everything again.

"Uh," Hide sweatdropped, "Something wrong, Sora?"

"Shit! Now I really have no choice," Sora said to himself, much to Hide's polite amusement. The blond looked up at the other boy, mustering the courage to do what he knew he must, "H-Hide-kun, you remember our deal, right?"

Hide nodded, bowing his head, "Of course! I'll do anything to repay you!"

"Uh, well," Sora sighed, forcing himself onwards, "Would you join my family? My, uh, mafia family? I mean, I'm not really sure how it works when you're already in another family, but…"

Hide's head shot up, his eyes bright with excitement and pride. "Of course! I would be honored to be your Guardian!"

"My what now?" Sora wondered. "I said—"

"Perfect!" Reborn quite literally crashed into the scene, dropping down from a glider and kicking Sora into the ground.

"Gah _! Reborn!_ " Sora cried.

"You're the famous hitman: Reborn-san!" Hide bowed in greeting, "It's an honor to meet you."

"Ciaossu," Reborn shot back, before nearly doing the same in reality as Leon transformed into a pistol. "Enough screwing around, Stupid Sora! Get to class!"

"Yes, sir!" Sora shouted, jumping up onto his feet and sprinting away towards the school building.

Reborn stopped to bid farewell, "Until next time, Hideaki." Then, he proceeded to jog—although it looked more like he hopped—after his student.

"The Vongola, eh?" Hide whispered to himself, smiling while he took a step forward only to be reminded of his bum leg. The teen scowled as he nearly tripped onto the ground. Depression and frustration, at last, broke through his proud façade. "Goddamn it…"

 _ **-XI-**_

As per usual, the school day nearly bored Sora to death. Even with an adoring fanbase that never left his side and as Katsuro attempted to track him down throughout the day, he still only felt a twinge of excitement. It was like just being on campus killed any happiness he could have.

By the time the day ended, Sora had had enough of his admirers and was determined to escape them. So, he schemed a 'foolproof' plan that he put into effect immediately after the last bell rung. Like any good delinquent, Sora had lock picks on him at all times. So, during last period, he unlocked the window beside his desk and readied to jump out of it. After all, he was only two stories up, and there were bushes just below the classroom. No problem, right?

Wrong. Throughout English class, Sora found himself doubting his plan more and more. In fact, it got so bad that when he opened the window up, allowing a rough breeze to crash against his face, Sora couldn't even look down at the bushes two stories below. He froze in place, too terrified to move.

"Sora-chaaaan~!"

"Hey, Sora-sama!"

"Wait up, Sora-san!" Katsuro cried, trying to push his way over to the blond.

Sora glanced back in an attempt to steady himself, only to have his vision shrouded by darkness—a darkness that turned out to be the backside of a green shoe. Sora tripped and stumbled backwards. Almost in slow motion, he fell over the edge, plummeting down two stories into bushes.

"AIIEEE! Sora-chan!"

"Shit! Sora-san!" Katsuro rushed to the window and checked to see if Sora was okay. The blond was covered in cuts and leaves, and he felt like his tailbone had been broken, but he could stand with no problem.

"Thank God…" Katsuro muttered, turning his attention to the classroom as Sora lifted one leg out of the bush, only to trip and fall onto his face. Meanwhile, the black-haired boy tried to determine the assaulter, but to no avail. Even the green shoe had disappeared. Sora, on the other hand, knew all too well who had attacked him.

' _Reborn…'_ Sora grimaced, looking up at the classroom. However, when he noticed the crowd, including Katsuro, stop looking down at him and head out the room, he quickly made his way out of the bush and ran towards the exit. _'Forget my backpack, I'm getting out of here!'_

…

Half a minute later, Katsuro came crashing out of Nami Middle's entrance to the frustration of many grumbling students. The black-haired boy scanned the yard quickly before realizing Sora had already left. So, without a second to lose, he took off after the blond.

"Hey! Wait up!" The voice stopped Katsuro in his tracks. It couldn't be…

It took Kagome Hideaki a few moments to catch up to Katsuro, but he still remained in place while the injured boy struggled forward. _'I would have left you in the dust if it was anyone else, anyone without your…'_ Katsuro glanced down at the other boy's leg, frustrated.

"Aren't you Saito Katsuro?" Hide asked, finally beside Katsuro.

"What's it to you?" the other boy shot back.

Hide seemed taken aback by the comment for a moment, but he continued on nevertheless, "You're Sora's friend, yeah?"

"I—I am, yes," Katsuro stammered.

"You seem pretty confident about that," Hide retorted.

"I said I am, dammit!" Katsuro growled.

"Fine, fine," Hide said, "I believe you. In fact, I came over to make sure everything was fine between you two. I've noticed there's been a rift in your friendship ever since the museum."

"You've been watching us?" Katsuro asked, equally confused and suspicious.

"Not exactly. It's just hard to miss a Vongola Boss Candidate is all," Hide said good-naturedly, causing Katsuro's eyes to widen in shock. Hide half-frowned, still calm and happy as ever. "Oops. That's the second time I've let that slip today."

"Who are you?" Katsuro demanded, paranoia rising.

"So you do know. That was a test. I had to see how far Sora had brought you in," Hide explained.

"Answer my question."

"Right, right," Hide continued. "Truth is, I'm actually a member of Sora's family."

"Really?" Katsuro asked, leading the other boy to nod, "Sora's dragged you into this too?"

"So, the Vongola _is_ the reason you two are fighting. You're scared. May I ask why?" Hide wondered.

"Why the hell are you so calm about all this?" Katsuro shot back.

"I asked first."

"And…?"

Hide sighed, shaking away his frustration. "Yeah, yeah. I'm the son of a mafia boss. That's all there is to it."

"You've been raised in this and you're asking _me_ why I'm _scared_?" Katsuro muttered incredulously.

"Answer my question," Hide quipped.

"' _Fine, fine,_ '" Katsuro teased without a hint of playfulness. "I'm afraid I'm going to get killed." He sighed, defeated, before admitting, "Actually, more than that, I'm afraid my dad will get killed. I don't want to lose him."

"You don't know much about the Vongola, do you?" Hide retorted innocently.

Katsuro looked up, confused. "Not a thing."

"Well, then that's part of your problem," Hide stated. "Y'see, the Vongola aren't your typical mafia family. Ever since the Tenth rose to power, they've evolved into a peacekeeping vigilante task force; still as powerful as ever, but help-focused now. That's the modern Vongola: the most powerful agency in the world—a true, unrelenting force for good."

Katsuro could not stop his jaw from dropping at that statement. Honestly, he had expected Sora to be inheriting some corrupt organization that sold drugs and controlled the underworld.

Aware he was making progress, Hide continued, "So, you're afraid your dad will die. Don't be. With the Vongola's resources and army of trained fighters, he'd be in safe hands. Heck, if anything _ordinary_ befell him, there wouldn't be a problem. The Vongola protect their own; no illness or accident could kill your father."

"And you? Yeah, you'd probably be in more danger than if you lived an ordinary life, but not exponentially. The Vongola can and will protect you, but even more importantly they'll train you. You'll have the very best combat teachers in the world training you in whatever form you'd like, melding you into an incredible fighter worthy of the title 'Vongola Guardian.'"

Hide paused for a moment to let it sink in. Katsuro couldn't respond, still too shocked at all that he been revealed. So, Hide finished, "However, forget all the benefits. Don't even consider joining if you're not in it for one reason and one reason only: to protect Sora."

Katsuro looked up and tightened his hands into fists. Hide smirked. "I can tell you care about him. I can tell that you, like me, are indebted to him. So, that begs the question: is it enough? It's easy to accept the good things about Sora's life and the Vongola, but can you accept the bad? Are you willing to give up everything for your friend?"

Suddenly, Katsuro took off, sprinting out of Nami Middle without saying another word. Hide frowned, befuddled by the action. He had genuinely thought he was getting somewhere with Katsuro. Had he completely misread him?

"Don't worry. You got through."

Hide looked to the side, only slightly surprised to discover Reborn floating down to the ground beside him in a parachute.

"Oh? Then why run?" Hide asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Reborn rhetorically asked. "Saito Katsuro is a man of action. Your words inspired him to finally commit fully to his friend. This is his way of responding to your support. He's too proud to admit his fault, so he decided to prove his resolve by mending his relationship with Sora."

"So Katsuro…?"

Reborn smirked, interrupting, "Is Vongola."

…

It took just about everything Katsuro had, but he managed to maneuver his way through Namimori while sprinting in order to cut Sora off at his house. However, the blond's immediate reaction upon seeing him was to turn around and run the other way. So, a chase ensued, oddly enough just like on the day the two had first become friends. The twists and turns seemed like they would go on forever, and Katsuro almost gave up until he turned around a corner only to spot someone else joining in on the chase.

A boy dressed in a red uniform of some kind with a hood and all, albeit one pulled back due to wind resistance, effortlessly leaped from roof to roof, nearing Sora more and more. Katsuro had a feeling he knew what this meant, and his theory was proven when he caught sight of an enormous lance. It almost seemed like a prosthetic limb, but was in fact fashioned over the boy's right arm.

"Whoa, slow down there, buddy." Suddenly, another boy appearing identical to the first only with a lance over his left arm instead of right hopped down in front of Katsuro, cutting him off. "Just turn around, pretend like you saw nothing, and you don't have to get hurt."

Close up, Katsuro could tell the assassins weren't much older than he and Sora. They had a full head of messy brown hair and red eyes, whether natural or contact-induced Katsuro couldn't tell. Also, their lances almost looked like bug stingers, oddly enough.

"You're going to kill him," Katsuro half-asked, half-stated.

"Yes, that's the deal, bro. We got a contract; we fulfill it. Now, _walk away_ ," the assassin demanded. Katsuro was facing a professional assassin. He wouldn't stand a chance. Hell, he'd probably lost Sora by now. What was the point?

' _No, I'm done with being a coward. The point is that Sora is my_ friend _and I won't let him get hurt,'_ Katsuro thought.

The black-haired boy took a deep breath and then shouted with all his might, "SORA, TURN AROUND!"

It may not have even worked. Sora wasn't in sight. Even if he heard Katsuro, he may ignore him. Still, Katsuro had to try.

"Big mistake," the assassin calmly said, raising his arm-stinger to strike.

Nearly faster than Katsuro could see, the assassin tried to impale him. Emphasis on 'tried.' Years of fighting paid off, and Katsuro's instincts pushed him to jump back and draw his hammer.

The assassin smirked. "Not bad. Must be one of Vongola's bodyguards, huh? But you look a little young to be playing hero, bro."

The assassin leaped forward, but Katsuro blocked his blow with his hammer.

"Really? You're going to pull that shit?" Katsuro retorted. He attempted to sideline the assassin, but the older boy simply flipped away to dodge.

"You got a mouth on you, bro."

"Again, _you_ of all people should not—"

"RUN! GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"

Both fighters looked at the source of the noise. The other red-clad assassin twin assassin was sprinting towards the two of them, terror in his eyes. Suddenly, another boy curved around a street corner, running as fast he could after the assassin. This boy, however, stood out. Between his startling blond hair, his unusual half-nude appearance, the orange flame burning over his forehead and his blank, angry eyes, Nakamura Sora was far from something you see every day.

"GO, KEN! HE'S A MONSTER!" The other assassin cried as Sora gained on him.

Katsuro smirked, while his opponent, Ken, stepped back in fear.

"Ren…" Ken began.

"RUN!" The other assassin ordered.

Right as his twin passed him, Ken looked at Sora one last time and then sprinted after his brother. The two swerved around a corner and out of sight just as Sora arrived beside Katsuro, skidding to a halt. The flame over Sora's forehead died out and the blank anger in his eyes was replaced by concern and timid happiness.

"Katsuro-kun, thanks…" Sora managed, unable to look at his friend.

The other boy chuckled, "Not gonna mention the elephant in the room, Sora-san? Those assassins were after you."

"Gah! Shit, you're right!" Sora cried, terror overwhelming him. "It hadn't even registered. Before I knew it, I'd heard you, then I stopped, then that Ren guy appeared, and I was shot."

"You were shot?" Katsuro questioned, concerned.

"Uh, yeah," Sora scratched the back of his head. "I wasn't hurt or anything, or I guess I kind of was. I don't know. It's complicated." The boy managed to smile. "It's a Reborn thing."

Katsuro shook his head, but still remained smiling, "To think I was going to rejoin this mafia crap…"

"You were gonna what?" Sora exclaimed, before forcing him to calm down, "I mean, you don't have to do anything. I'm not even committed to it—"

"Oh well, I guess it's too late now." Katsuro looked up, grinning confidently. "I'm in."

Sora's eyes widened in shock. "Katsuro-kun…"

The black-haired boy's face suddenly turned bright red and he glanced away. "That's if you'll have me, of course."

"Do you even have to ask?" Sora happily retorted.

A short distance away, standing on top of a fence, going completely unnoticed, Reborn watched the two boys renew their friendship. As they turned around and headed back towards Sora's house, teasing and laughing, a tiny grin ghosted over the hitman's lips.

"Stupid Sora…"

...

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: Family**

 **Reborn- Rise and shine! Assassins don't fight themselves.**

 **Sora- I hate you...**

 **Sora- Nii-chan! Nee-chan!**

 **Suzume- Isn't it great, Sora-kun? Your older brother and sister came by for a surprise visit!**

 **?- Sora, the truth is...**

 **THE NEXT ARC, _LE BESTIE,_ BEGINS! **


	13. Family

**The new schedule and new arc—Le Bestie—begin!**

 **valery-chan: I'm glad that was a surprise to you! As for Hide…yeah, he's Sun! The yellow stone was supposed to give it away! (That, and being an athlete.) Good guesses, though! I can see why he could be Rain, and Sun was your second guess, so nice job!**

 **Saraj8ne: Yeah, Hide probably should've been in the hospital still. But, as I like to put it, plot waits for no man! XD**

…

Reborn! Again

Target 13 – Family

Saturday: a gift granted to students of all ages, a day of rest amidst a bleak week of work. By all accounts, Sora deserved a break. Between battling future best friends, insane training, secret ninja assassins, the hospital, school shootings, and a Varsity basketball game, Sora's life had been packed with nonstop work and insanity. Of everyone in Namimori, he deserved rest the most. At the very least, he deserved to sleep in for a day.

Too bad Reborn couldn't care less.

"Rise and shine!" the hitman cried, kicking Sora in the groin to wake him up.

The teen rocketed out of bed, dry heaving against his carpet floor. "I…have…an alarm."

"One you didn't bother to set," Reborn retorted, pointing at the inactive alarm clock lit up with the time—7 o'clock.

' _Damn it. He saw right through my trick…again. Should've expected nothing less.'_ Sora thought, defeated.

"Can't I have a couple hours off to sleep in?" Sora grumbled, sitting back onto his legs.

"Not if you want to live," Reborn retorted. "Assassins don't fight themselves."

"I hate you," Sora whispered as he stood up.

"What was that?"

"I hate Mondays!" Sora exclaimed, eyes wide with panic as he hurried out of the room.

Reborn smirked and followed him out of the room, forcing the teen to run to stay away from the baby. Even with his short legs, Reborn managed to keep up, further terrifying Sora as the baby hummed "I'm going to kill you" while he chased him down the stairs. Sora jerked to his right immediately upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, heading towards the kitchen. However, it was too late.

In what felt like slow motion, Sora looked back at the hitman, a mistake that would prove to be his downfall. Reborn used the opportunity to leap up into the air and dive against Sora's back with his hands wound into fists and held out like Superman. Sora crashed through the kitchen door, crying out in pain.

"Reboooorrnn!" Sora shouted, falling to the ground. Almost simultaneously, the teen looked up, only to discover two unexpected guests at the kitchen table beside his mother and little brother.

The first resembled Sora in many ways, his hair the same blond, his eyes a sparkling blue, and his skin a similar hue. However, the primary differences were in his face shape—it was much more angled and rugged than Sora's—and his hairstyle, notably cut short on the sides and flipped upwards in an almost European fashion. The guest wore a simple white button up and equally starch slacks and shoes.

The second guest was a woman with long black hair streaked with red highlights and drawn back into a ponytail. However, she too resembled Sora, primarily with her eye color and face shape. Her red and black suit was pressed tightly against her chest, the main cause being her enormous bust.

Both guests, Kori, and Suzume turned their attention to Sora and his tutor as they crashed into the room. Immediately, everyone's faces lit up with joy, including the beaten boy's.

"Nii-chan! Nee-chan!" Sora bumbled out like a child.

"Didn't think you'd be up this early, Sora-chan," the blond man teased with a playful smile.

"It's good to see you, Sora," the black-haired woman greeted, before indicating the baby, "I take it you're the Reborn I've heard so much about? It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure's all mine," the hitman replied with a coy smile.

"Isn't it great, Sora-kun?" Suzume beamed. "Your older brother and sister came by for a surprise visit!"

"Yeah, it's awesome," Sora agreed, but a curious thought loomed at the back of his mind, keeping him from exploding with joy. Something felt wrong about this whole situation. It wasn't a holiday. They hadn't told anyone of their arrival, which, at the very least, was unusual for his older brother. Sora stood up, and dusted himself off as he continued, "But what's the occasion?"

Sora swore his older siblings' eyes darkened for a moment as they looked at one another, but he couldn't be sure as they near-immediately looked at him with toothy grins planted on their faces.

"We both saved up a number of vacation days, and we decided to spend them together as a family," Sora's sister, Kimiko, explained.

"Excluding Dad, of course," Makoto, the eldest brother, added.

"And Alessia," Sora interjected, indicating his brother's wife. His _Italian_ wife. The thought began to grow heavier in Sora's mind.

"Allie-chan's sorry she couldn't make it, but she has work," Makoto said, although his smile was quickly fading.

"Bullsh—"

"Sora-nii!" Kori interrupted, smiling as usual, ferocity hidden behind his taut expression. "Can't we just relax and enjoy breakfast? Leave the questions for later."

Sora eyed his little brother warily. The way his brother said that…did he know something?

"C'mon now, Sora-chan," Makoto said, "Pull up a chair."

"You're not going to tell him?" Suzume asked, gazing at her second oldest child with a mix of confusion and frustration.

"Mom…" Makoto began.

Kimiko massaged her cranium with one hand and sighed. "Sora, the truth is…"

"Really, you don't have to," Makoto exclaimed, reaching around Kimiko to quiet her. However, instead of silencing his older sister, he ended up only irritating her, driving Kimiko to grab his arms and swing him around, throwing him into the wall over Sora's head. The middle son's eyes widened in surprise, and he ducked to the side, Reborn matching his move in the other direction, to avoid the brother-turned-projectile.

"The truth is," Kimiko continued as Makoto lay stunned on the ground, drooling, "Mako and Allie are having a fight."

Sora's jaw dropped. "Oh."

Now he felt stupid for assuming something so potentially nefarious, so obscene. That wasn't to downplay the importance of his older brother's fight with his wife, but it could be worse. Sora had assumed his older siblings were in the mafia.

"But Mako-nii, you and Allie-nee never—"

"Never's a strong word," Makoto managed, blushing while he massaged his injured neck.

"Enough with the chit chat," Kimiko interrupted, the warmness in her expression suddenly replaced by icy cruelty. She jerked her right hand up, motioning for her two brothers to stand up straight. "Get up."

Sora and Makoto gulped simultaneously, the first stepping to the side to stand directly in front of his sister, and the second hopping off the ground before things got worse for him. Almost in a military manner, the two bowed before their older sister.

"Yes, ma'am," the brothers immediately exclaimed, all too used to the situation at hand.

Kimiko smirked proudly while the remaining two Nakamuras free of her ire watched the situation with mixed amusement and casual acceptance. Reborn smiled to himself at the sight.

"Sit down and eat breakfast," Kimiko ordered, "Let's enjoy one another's company."

"Yes, ma'am!" Sora and Makoto agreed, before jumping into action—or, in a sense, inaction.

Meanwhile, Kori quietly sweat dropped. _'Thank God it's not me…'_

And with those final thoughts, the Nakamuras turned their attention to the meal at hand—to a normal breakfast, at least by the family's standards.

…

"SON OF A BITCH!"

Sora's voice rang through the front yard, and what seemed like miles beyond it, drawing his older siblings' ire. Makoto tried to hush the teen, only to be interrupted by Reborn and Kimiko who simultaneously smacked Sora on either side of his face.

"Language!" The two chorused.

Sora bit back the pain quite literally by nibbling on his lower lip, and stared daggers at his older brother, "You lied to us! You and Allie-nee aren't fighting! In fact, you're—"

"Keep it down," Makoto shushed, glancing around to make sure no one was listening in on their conversation. Luckily, not even their mother had left the house to check on them.

"We didn't lie. Mako and Allie are in the middle of a fight, and that's precisely why she isn't here. However, we didn't tell you the full story—why _we're_ here," Kimiko explained.

"Emphasis on the solo _you_ , Nii-chan," Kori teased.

"Wait, Kori, you knew that—" Sora wondered, only to be interrupted by his younger brother.

"—Mako-nii and Kimi-nee are part of the Vongola? Sure. They told me before you woke up. I happened to be the one to greet them at the door, early morning training and all," Kori admitted.

"Bu—"

"Quiet, Stupid Sora," Reborn growled, silencing his pupil. "Let your older siblings finish."

"Traitor," Sora whispered, glaring at Kori who chuckled the comment off.

"The ins and outs of the situation are very simple, Sora," Kimiko began.

"Truth is—" Mako began, only to be silenced by his sister's glare. He feigned laughter, but slunk away nonetheless.

"As I was saying," Kimiko continued, "As a Vongola boss candidate, you've been targeted by assassins from all over the world." Sora frowned, but didn't speak. He knew it was true. "We're here to prepare you for the—ahem—trials to come."

"That's cool and all, but you're leaving one thing out in the open," Sora spoke up. Slowly, his face reddened as anger boiled up inside him. "If you're both fully-trained members of the Vongola Family…WHY THE HELL AREN'T _YOU_ BEING TARGETED?! –Gah!"

Sora fell back after his sister clocked him. The eldest trembled with frustration as she massaged her fist.

"I was getting there," Kimiko whispered coolly. The brothers backed up, afraid for their wellbeing. Even Reborn moved back a step. "Sora, you're older brother and I—like Kori—are not fit to be the Vongola boss for one reason and one reason only. Our resolve—our Dying Will Flame—is not that of the Sky element."

"Dying Will Flame," Sora glanced at Reborn, "Just like…"

"Enough of that. Although I could explain the depths of the situation and why the Vongola Boss must wield the Sky Flame, I'd be delving into personality types, history and culture, which we don't nearly have time for. Instead, we'll get right down to business," Kimiko stated.

"Like how a doctor and a…" Sora shrugged, "Whatever you are, sis, are going to train us to fight professional assassins."

"C'mon, it comes with the territory, Sora-chan!" Makoto said, "We're not just a doctor and a, uh, well, I'll leave that to Kimi-nee. …The point is we're in the Vongola Family for a reason."

"As are they," Kimiko finished, looking past Sora and Kori. The two youngest Nakamuras frowned and followed their sister's gaze.

"Who…?" Sora's eyes widened when he caught sight of who his sister was looking at. Two teenage boys walked down the sidewalk towards the Nakamura house, waving. Two boys Sora recognized all too well called his name.

"Sora-san!"

"Hey, Sora!"

Katsuro and Hide made their way up to Sora's side, the basketball player still in crutches and sporting glasses yet again. Sora hopped up onto his feet to meet them, but instead of greeting them, he exclaimed, "Katsuro-kun, Hide-kun, why are you—"

Realization dawned on the boy. He turned to look at his older siblings. "No…no, no, no. I don't really want to be the Vongola boss! We can't just endanger them and—"

"Relax, Sora-san, we want to be a part of this," Katsuro patted his friend and boss on the back.

"Saito said it," Hide said, before facing the elder Nakamuras and bowing. "It's an honor to meet you both." He stood up and blushed, grinning. "I still can't really believe I'll be taught by the Vongola's Medical Prodigy and the Sword Emperor's apprentice!"

"The who's a what now?" Sora dumbly exclaimed.

"Your older brother and sister…don't you know?" Hide addressed Sora. "They're famous. They're the Vongola's young stars."

"Oh, enough of that," Kimiko waved the comment off with a proud grin, blushing furiously, "Really, we're not all that great."

' _BS. It's obvious you love the attention,'_ Sora sweat dropped.

Meanwhile, Makoto hadn't heard the adoration, let alone allowed it to embarrass him. Something else had distracted the young doctor. Something he found all too fascinating. Makoto stared intently at Hide's leg, or more specifically the brace on it.

"Is it broken?" he asked.

All eyes focused in on the doctor. Makoto looked up and continued, "Your leg?"

"Oh, uh, yeah," Hide stuttered, glancing down, "I was going to ask about that, actually. While I'd absolutely do whatever I could to help the boss out, I kind of have a problem…"

"That isn't a problem. It's a nuisance," Makoto replied, staring at the boy's knee.

"My surgeon said there's like an 80% chance I'll never be able to—"

"Forget your surgeon. Sit down," Makoto demanded. He motioned to Sora and Katsuro to help Hide down. The two boys immediately complied.

"Prep the patient for surgery," Kori cheekily muttered under his breath while his oldest brother produced white gloves emblazoned with the Vongola crest from his jacket and put them on.

"You might feel a warm, tingling sensation. That's perfectly normal," Makoto warned, slipping off his wedding band and replacing it with a thinner ring embellished with a small yellow stone.

Nobody spoke as Makoto took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and lowered his hands over Hide's injury. Suddenly, the stone on Makoto's ring lit up with a large, sparkling yellow flame. After a few seconds, the doctor's gloves began to glow with the same yellow light.

"The Dying Will Flame," Sora realized, "It's yellow." Reborn smiled.

"It doesn't hurt," Hide thought aloud, as his cast melted under the aura.

"That's good. It shouldn't," Makoto admitted. Another moment and then, "We're done."

The aura faded from Makoto's ring and gloves. He motioned to Hide to try his leg. The boy eyed his knee warily, but reluctantly bent it. He flinched, causing Sora to mimic his expression in turn. However, Hide's face quickly relaxed as he realized he wasn't in pain. In fact, his leg seemed to be completely healed.

Hide hopped up onto his feet, much to Sora's dismay, and bowed to Makoto. "Thank you. I am forever in your debt."

"What the hell…" Sora addressed the elephant in the room, "just happened?"

Makoto smirked. Kimiko spoke up before her younger brother could. "Makoto's Dying Will Flame—the Sun Flame—is, in simplest terms, capable of healing organic tissue by speeding up the body's natural processes. It also effectively destroys the body's limiters, reducing the so called self-surgery's chance of failure."

"You have to explain Dying Will Flames," Sora begged.

"All in due time. For now, we must physically prepare you for your current and greatest threat: Le Bestie," Kimiko replied.

"Le Bestie?" Kori wondered.

"One of the most prolific and powerful assassin organizations in the world. Their current targets are the Vongola Boss Candidates, including you, Sora," Makoto explained, before playfully adding, "They were responsible for your last near-death experience."

"The assassins with the big ass lances," Sora nodded. "I remember."

"Language." Kimiko growled, before calmly continuing, "By our best guesses, you have one week before you become their primary target."

"Meaning…?" Sora gulped.

"Most of the other candidates will have been disposed of by then, if not sooner," Kimiko admitted, "In fact, of the original seven candidates, only four remain."

' _Damnit! Why me?!'_ Sora thought.

"That's why the Vongola sent you to train us," Kori recognized. "We don't have much time. Let's get down to it."

"Agreed—" Kimiko began, only to be interrupted by Sora.

"Wait a second! I'm not okay with endangering anyone else. This is my problem. Katsuro-kun, Hide-kun, Kori, all of you, go. As much as I hate to admit it, I don't really have an out here, but you guys can still avoid risking your lives," Sora said.

"Sora-nii, with all due respect…" Kori stood up beside the two other Guardians. Each one looked at Sora with eyes alight with determination. "Shut up. We're not going anywhere."

"But—"

"No buts! Their minds are made up, Sora," Kimiko said.

Sora frowned, but swallowed his frustration. He hated it, but he knew he wasn't about to change any of their minds.

"Now, to announce the tutors," Reborn spoke up, almost surprising Sora. He'd nearly forgotten the baby was there.

"Sora, you're with me," Reborn stated.

"I could've guessed," Sora grumbled.

"Kori, we're going to have some brother-sister bonding time," Kimiko happily explained.

"Awesome!" Kori high-fived his older sister.

"Hideaki-kun, I'll be your tutor," Makoto said.

Hide bowed. "I'm honored."

The three student-teacher pairs partnered up, leaving Katsuro to watch them all with a mixture of confusion and frustration. He tried to wave to get their attention, but no one bothered to look at him. Sora and Reborn were too busy bickering, resulting in the blond's injury. Kori and Kimiko were excitedly discussing their training plans, and Makoto and Hide shared a simple, humble exchange, both complimenting the other.

"Um….excuse me…Reborn…Sora-san…anyone…" Rage bubbled up inside Katsuro. "Who. The. Hell…IS MY TUTOR?"

Everyone turned to face Katsuro, as the boy heaved with frustration.

Sora blushed and scratched the back of his head embarrassedly, "Oh, sorry, Katsuro-kun! Totally forgot they didn't announce your tutor."

"I apologize," Hide and Makoto said in unison, bowing.

"Your tutor, Katsuro, is waiting for you elsewhere," Reborn began, "In Namimori Middle School."

"Nami Middle...?" Katsuro wondered.

"I wouldn't keep her waiting if I were you. She's not one for patience," Reborn said.

"Right," Katsuro nodded. "In that case, Sora-san, I'll be off. I promise, by the end of the week I'll be worthy to fight by your side."

Sora waved the comment off, his face flushed, "Katsuro-kun, really…"

"Enough, Sora. We don't have much time," Kimiko interjected. All eyes focused in on her. She took a deep breath before continuing. "You have one week. Every waking moment outside of school you will spend preparing for the fight of your lives. There will be no complaints. No one will surrender to exhaustion. The four of you will become men worthy of the title 'Vongola's Eleventh Generation.'"

"With all that said…" Kimiko eyed her middle brother, almost egging him on. "Training—start!"

…

 **Please review! It would mean a lot to me! Plus, I could use any critiques I can get.**

…

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: Heart of a Warrior**

 **Katsuro- Wait,** _ **you're**_ **my trainer?**

 **Sora- So, where do we start, Reborn?**

 **Reborn- With your death.**

 **Makoto- We'll begin with a basic combat drill. Land one hit on me, Hideaki-kun, and you pass.**

 **Kimiko- You think you know pain, Kori? You know nothing.**


	14. Heart of a Warrior

**UPDATE: Believe it or not, I accidentally deleted this chapter while trying to update it with a new version. Sorry, for those of you who've read this already, but this is basically the same chapter 14 (with minor differences). Feel free to read it again to pick up on those. /update**

 **Now the new schedule** _ **really**_ **begins with the first Saturday in January. I think you guys will like this one, because while it's entirely a training issue, there's some action and character beats. That's the trick with these sorts of issues; you have to make the training and the action about the development of the characters, not just their fighting skills.**

 **So, my Youtube channel was a bit of a failure as I never had time to make videos...and I forgot my password. However, I've now created a tumblr side blog where I'll do the same things I would've done on the Youtube channel, only in print now. Please go follow it at the username: AllStarDrake. Thanks!**

 **A quick note, if it wasn't clear already, I'm using American slang, and measurements (as in feet, yards, pounds, etc.). It streamlines the writing process for me.**

 **One review? What's up, guys? You don't** _ **have**_ **to review anything, but I'd love it if you would. It really does motivate me. Plus, I could use whatever critiques you're willing to give. I'd like to have two or three a chapter, but enough of that. Moving on from the guilt tripping...**

 **Valery-chan: Thanks for reviewing as always! I'm glad you like Kimiko! She and Makoto are both really fun characters to write! You'll find out if your guess is correct this issue!**

…

Reborn! Again

Target 14 – Heart of a Warrior

The jog down to Namimori Middle should have been pleasant. It was short enough that Katsuro wouldn't get tired, and long enough that it could still act as a decent warm up. Katsuro was also literally running toward his future—toward a time when he'd be a more proficient fighter than ever before, able to protect everyone he cared about. Yet he couldn't shake a sense of dread from deep in his bones.

Katsuro still hadn't gotten used to the idea of putting his life in danger every day, despite how he may have acted around the others. He quivered with every step he took. The mafia? Crazy. Assassins? Crazier. Magical flames? The craziest. This new world was not only terrifyingly dangerous, but also utterly unknown.

So, it made perfect sense that Katsuro not only literally quaked in his boots as he entered the school grounds, but also that he went without noticing the figure waiting in the shade of a tree near the entrance.

"Saito Katsuro," the figure called.

Katsuro slid to a stop, and slowly turned to face the mystery person. He took a deep breath, calming himself, only to find all sense of fear knocked out of his brain at the sight of the only other person in the schoolyard—his trainer! No way. He couldn't believe it.

"Wait, _you're_ my trainer?" Katsuro asked incredulously.

Akamine Hikari stood up straight and stepped away from the tree, smirking amusedly. Katsuro wasn't used to seeing her out of uniform, and he certainly never imagined she'd wear a faded gray skirt, indigo flannel shirt, and combat boots, or, in other words, ordinary clothes for a teenager. She always seemed like the preppy, snobby type to him.

"What? _'Oh, uh, I'm so innocent and sweet'_ doesn't scream hitwoman?" Hikari mimicked the voice she so often put on during the school day, light and airy in tone.

"Well…yeah," Katsuro admitted.

"I'm good at my job. What can I say?" Hikari mused.

Katsuro frowned. "You could start with an explanation, for starters. What the hell are—"

Hikari cut him off when she leaped forward, drawing two black batons from her sleeves. Katsuro froze, eyes wide with shock, as Hikari smacked him across the face with a baton. However, neither moved after that initial blow. Hikari stepped back and looked disappointedly at Katsuro. The black-haired boy stared at the girl, his cheek reddening.

"You're weak." Hikari sighed, shaking her head. "What happened to the ferocious rebel who fearlessly declared he'd take 'all comers.'"

Katsuro blinked once. Hikari added, "Word gets around."

"Fight back!" Hikari shouted, and she swung a baton at Katsuro. The boy managed to react this time, grabbing her arm in mid-air. His expression was cool, calm, and a far cry from what it had been a moment ago, but he still didn't retaliate.

"I…I don't know if I can do this," Katsuro explained. Hikari's expression darkened. "When you attacked me, it wasn't shock or surprise as much as… _fear_ that made me freeze. I'll admit it. I was scared of you, and I can't shake the fear in my gut. I don't know if I'm cut out for the mafia."

Katsuro relaxed, letting Hikari's arm go. He then turned away and began to walk off, Hikari growing more frustrated with each of his steps.

"That's all?!" Hikari shouted.

"I'm thinking it over," Katsuro shot back.

"Really? This is the second time you've committed to Sora, and you're still pulling this BS! Yet again, when shit gets real, you run off with your tail between your legs! Fight like a man, Saito!" Hikari demanded. Katsuro didn't respond.

"That's all it took? One attack? What changed in you?! Stop being such a goddamned sissy, Saito, and attack me!" Hikari continued. Katsuro still didn't react. He neared the exit.

Hikari grimaced. She only had one thing left to exploit. Throwing a baton, she cried out, "Your mother would be ashamed of you!"

It happened nearly quicker than Hikari could see. Katsuro swiveled around and caught the baton in mid-air, just inches from his face. Pure, unadulterated rage had lit up within his stormy gray eyes. He glared at Hikari, but didn't say a word.

"I'm not lying, and you know it," Hikari calmly finished. She twirled around her remaining baton and got into a fighting stance. "Come on, Saito. Reborn says you've got the heart of a warrior. Prove it."

Katsuro threw back Hikari's other baton, and the girl caught it, still in position. She eyed him warily. Katsuro reached down for his claw hammer, and a smile flickered over Hikari's lips.

The two charged at one another, Katsuro roaring in anger.

 _ **-XI-**_

Sora and Reborn stood opposite one another in an unusual section of Namimori Park. They were right in the heart of an enormous field, and sectioned off into uneven thirds at the edges of the meadow were three wildly different pieces of land. The first was a shaky bridge of small boulders across a river. The next was an enormous hill that dropped off immediately at its top, meaning climbing it would require a person to go straight up. The last—a wild mess of bushes and trees, a forest as thick as it was long.

Sora glanced around at each of the three sections, quite aware of where this was going. He managed to focus on Reborn, who stared at him unblinkingly.

"So, where do we start, Reborn?" Sora asked, smiling uncomfortably.

Leon transformed into a pistol in Reborn's hand. Sora gulped.

"With your death," the hitman stated, firing.

 _BANG!_

"REBORN! I'll train with my Dying Will!" Sora declared, the fiery mode taking effect.

"Warm up with one hundred laps around the field, then start with the river. Make it across and you pass," Reborn ordered, while Leon shifted into a glider he used to soar over Sora's head.

Without a word, Sora took off around the field, sprinting full speed.

 _ **-XI-**_

A short distance from where Reborn led Sora in training, Makoto and Hide settled in another clearing in the park. The older man collapsed onto his behind, stretched, and yawned, leaving Hide to look at him expectantly.

"Should I…sit?" the athlete asked.

Makoto smiled lightly and shook his head, "Nah, man, you're good. Keep standing. We're gonna get started."

"Yes, sir," Hide said, although he didn't quite understand where this was going.

After yawning once more, Makoto explained, "We'll begin with a basic combat drill. Land one hit on me, Hideaki-kun, and you pass."

The athlete cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Sir, with all due respect, I'm an expert fighter. You won't be able to just sit there and casually avoid me."

Makoto's casual smiled evolved into something else entirely, reminding Hide of the look he often saw on Kori's face whenever he came across the boy. It was mischievous, and almost a little cruel.

"Try me," Makoto pushed.

"If you insist." Hide got into a ready stance reminiscent of both tae kwon do and boxing, his legs squared shoulder length apart, but his arms held up in boxing position, fists and forearms protecting his face.

Without wasting another second, Hide fired off a powerful punch at his slacking trainer.

 _ **-XI-**_

Kimiko hopped up onto a tree branch to sit, while Kori dropped a duffel bag to the ground and glanced around their section of the park, which coincidentally was in the forest where Sora would soon begin training.

"We sure no one's gonna show up and make this whole training thing awkward?" Kori wondered.

"Absolutely. The Vongola prepared a PSA to let people know the park will be closed for the next week for 'private operations,'" Kimiko explained.

"The Vongola can do that?"

"At this point, you should be asking 'what can't they do,'" Kimiko quipped, to which Kori nodded understandingly with a smirk. Moving on, the eldest Nakamura said, "Open up the bag, take the bow and arrows, and get ready."

Kori immediately did was he was told, discovering a large green compound bow, and a similarly colored quiver of glimmering tipped arrows.

Sliding the quiver over his shoulder, Kori looked up at his sister and said, "Target practice? You've gotta be kidding me."

Kimiko slyly smiled, reached into her jacket pocket, and produced a rubber ball. She held it out teasingly to her younger brother, who frowned.

"Really. Drop it, throw it, whatever. I'll hit it," Kori said, nocking an arrow.

"Prove it." Kimiko tossed the ball into the air.

Kori tried to draw back the string on the bow, only to find himself struggling to do so. By the time he'd managed to pull it back, the ball had bounced off the ground. Unable to hold the string taut any longer, Kori lost his grip on it and the arrow notched into the ground just inches from his toes. He bit back a gasp, and looked up at his Kimiko.

"What…?"

"80 pound draw. You're going to have to be faster than that if you want to hit the ball," Kimiko said. She motioned for Kori to throw her the ball. He frowned, hurried over to it, and tossed it to his sister, who caught it with one hand.

"I use a 40 normally. Why the hell—"

"Language!" Kimiko chucked the ball at Kori, bouncing it perfectly off his face so that it returned to her.

"Ow!" Rubbing the pain out of his nose, Kori continued, "I'm just saying. 80 pounds seems like a bit much."

Kimiko said, "Reborn told me about your fight with Obata Eiji. He told me he either blocked or dodged all of your arrows. There's a simple solution to keep that from happening again. Stronger, sharper arrows, and—"

Kori interrupted, "A faster shot. Not just me, but from the bow. The arrows have to move more quickly through the air, which means—"

Kimiko smirked, and finished, "A heavier draw, yes. You've proven you can draw the bow. Just get strong enough to do it quickly."

"Meaning…?" Kori questioned.

"Meaning," Kimiko removed a pistol and a clip of green bullets, "We'll use a training method Reborn made famous. You're going into Dying Will Mode."

Kori stepped back as his sister aimed her pistol at him. "What the hell is a Dying Will Mode—"

 _BLAM!_

Kori collapsed to the ground, while Kimiko blew the smoke away from her gun.

"You'll find out. And language," Kimiko said.

"REBORN!"

 _ **-XI-**_

Katsuro collapsed to the ground, battered and bruised. Hikari stood over him, and popped her neck. She put away one of her batons and used her free hand to pick up Katsuro. The injured boy tried to say something, but nothing came out.

"Anger. Anger is the key to breaking through your fear. Remember that, 'cause I sure as hell will," Hikari whispered into his ear.

The trainer then tossed Katsuro into the air and knocked him unconscious with a blow to the head.

Hikari stretched, popping her back, sighed in content, and then said, "Ten minute break, then round two starts."

 _ **-XI-**_

 _SPLASH!_

Sora fell headfirst into the river for the fourth time. He tried to grab onto one of the stones for support, but his hand slipped off its wet edge. Gasping for air, Sora forced himself up out of the water, the fire over his forehead flickering away. The river was deeper and stronger than a river in a park had any right to be. He could die in its current.

Yet, somehow Sora managed to push himself, swimming to the river's edge and onto dry land. The blond bent over and vomited out water. Then, he collapsed back and stared up at the clear blue sky above him.

"A little over ten minutes in Dying Will Mode. A new record," Reborn shouted from the other side of the roaring river.

"Can't. Breathe. Enough," Sora said between breaths. "Never. Run. That. Much. And. River. Sucks."

He was, in fact, so exhausted that the pain arcing through his body seemed ignorable at worst, and for brief spurts forgettable at best. Reborn, however, didn't care. Taking careful aim, Reborn fired at Sora again.

"REBORN!" The blond shot up onto his feet. "I'll conquer this river with my Dying Will!"

Sora took one explosive step onto the rocky path across the river, and slipped and fell. It only took him a few moments to get back onto land, but that was enough time for Reborn to speak.

"Focus, Sora. You can't conquer the river with brute force. Be agile, think on your feet, and most importantly react appropriately to every problem."

"Yes, sir!" Sora cried out, stepping onto the first stone more carefully this time.

One by one, slowly, Sora hopped onto each stone. However, his stability couldn't last forever, particularly as he neared the epicenter of the river's powerful current. He slipped, and began to fall to his side into the river, but he twisted his body in mid air to provide one hand enough room on the stone to latch onto it. Then, he propelled himself off his hand and into the air, using all his strength to push himself most of the way across the river.

Reborn smiled slightly as Sora landed gracefully and continued his trek across the river. It didn't take long for the boy to finish the process. He was talented; even Reborn, _especially_ Reborn could see that. These physical tasks would come to him quickly. It would be the mental tasks that would prove difficult.

"Take half an hour off. Rest," Reborn said.

Sora huffed, but managed to relax himself, the Dying Will Flame fading away. Immediately, the boy fell back and fainted, snoring loudly.

Now, it was Reborn's turn to look up at the sky. He would make a man out of Sora. He would make a leader out of him. If he didn't do it soon…well, everything would fall apart and the Vongola would be doomed.

 _ **-XI-**_

Hide's fist crashed through a small boulder as Makoto used the rock to spring away with one foot. In fact, the mafia doctor had only either used his right leg or right hand to move throughout their sparring match. Additionally, he casually sat or lay around much of the time as Hide attacked him.

The sheer lack of anything resembling success had slowly built up frustration in Hide, and the athlete had begun to charge recklessly. His hands cut, bleeding, and bruised, Hide had quickly become his own worst enemy, injured but not at the hands of his trainer.

"You're strong, fast, an expert at…mixed martial arts, I believe, and loyal. However, for every skill and selfless virtue you have, you lack an equally important survival instinct," Makoto chimed, reflexively flipping off his right hand.

Hide absorbed his trainer's comment, but didn't reply. Instead, he lunged forward. Makoto rolled to the side, causing Hide to run right into a tree. The athlete collapsed, and massaged his head.

"There, for example. You were reckless. You have been reckless, because you believe blindly throwing yourself into training is the best way to improve so you can protect Sora. That is not the case," Makoto sat down, crossing his legs, while Hide looked over at him, waiting patiently.

The mafia doctor continued, "Reborn told me all about your encounter with…Sasuke, was it? The gym was dark. He couldn't see you, and yet your first idea was to wait until you had to _react,_ instead of being _proactive_ and taking Sasuke down from the shadows. It's an interesting notion, the combination of your instinctive heroicness and basic stupidity. You're noble, but reckless. Brave, but dumb. A stereotypically perfect Sun guardian, always fighting in the light."

"It's a new age, Hide." Makoto slowly stood up and began to stretch. "A new age that requires a new type of Sun guardian. A better Sun guardian. The only requirement is that you 'destroy the misfortune that attacks the Family with your own body, becoming a Sun that brightly shines upon the area.' However, that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your own body to do so. Suns cast shadows, you know."

"I…I don't understand. I thought a guardian's duty was to be willing to sacrifice everything for their boss," Hide finally spoke up.

"Yes, to be willing to sacrifice everything _when necessary_ , but only when necessary. You can't protect Sora if you're dead," Makoto stated.

Hide frowned, but did not respond, instead simply staring down at his cracked and bleeding knuckles. Makoto eyed his student for a moment, before yawning and offering one last word of advice.

"That's all for combat training today. Run, do pushups, practice your many martial arts, whatever. Just think about what I said. We'll meet here again at eight tomorrow."

Hide nodded, but still did not speak. He only stood up when Makoto was out of sight, but by that point he was quaking with anger. Hide quickly turned around and lashed out at the tree behind him, palm out. The bark splintered and shattered as the tree fell over, a gaping hole in the midst of its trunk.

Heaving with frustration, Hide slammed his fist into his open palm. "I'll become a guardian worthy of you, Sora! I swear it!"

Then, the boy proceeded to do sprints, followed after by hundreds of martial arts moves, mixing dozens of styles, until the sun went down. Finally, under the silver moon, Hide relaxed and returned home.

 _ **-XI-**_

Long before Hide left the park, Katsuro had returned to sparring with Hikari. While there were moments the two were evenly matched, much of their bouts seemed more like bullying than fair fights. Hikari hit Katsuro repeatedly with her batons, often in the same place, while Katsuro never managed to land a clean hit. He scraped her, occasionally, but could do nothing more.

After the latest of their fights, the sun just beginning to set, Katsuro bent over and threw up, hammer in hand.

Wiping the vomit away from his mouth, Katsuro looked up through a swollen eye at Hikari and finally said what had been on his mind for hours, "This isn't training. Getting my ass whooped over and over definitely doesn't qualify."

Hikari cleaned her batons with the sleeve of her jacket, not even bothering to look at Katsuro as she responded, "I'm training you to withstand pain, so that doesn't freeze you up anymore. It's working. You haven't whined or tried to run off for hours."

"Okay, fine, so I'll fight now. I'm not getting any better," Katsuro said. "Even if I learn to read your moves, which I seriously doubt, I won't be learning any applicable skills."

"A few things. First off, you will learn to read my moves, and in the process get much better at reading anyone and everyone's, because let me tell you—I am an amazing fighter."

"Could've fooled me," Katsuro grumbled, as Hikari continued.

"Second, you're getting stronger, more confident. Despite what you may believe, that is happening. You're a natural, and you're just beginning to discover that. Lastly, the final phase in your training—the 'holy shit, I'm a badass' moment—hasn't come yet," Hikari finished.

"And when exactly is it coming?" Katsuro asked, as he silently wondered, _'What happened to sweet, innocent Hikari? I mean, this chick cusses like a sailor, and she fights like a…well, an assassin.'_

"Worry about that later. For now, fight." Hikari got into a ready stance.

Katsuro groaned, but did the same, raising his hammer.

Hikari grinned wickedly, like a predator examining its prey.

"C'mon now. Bite me to death."

 _ **-XI-**_

"You think you know pain, Kori? You know nothing!" Kimiko shouted into her brother's ear as he continued to do push ups.

"I! NEVER! SAID! ANYTHING! LIKE! THAT! One thousand and one!" Kori declared, each word said to a pushup. A green flame sparkled over his forehead, the archer's eyes blank with rage.

"Are you talking back to me, shrimp?" Kimiko roared.

"No, sir!" Kori said, sweat beading down into his eyes.

"What was that?" Kimiko spat.

"No, _ma'am!_ " Kori hurriedly replied.

"You're damn right! Now pick up speed! Train like your life depends on it!"

"Yes, sir!"

"What?"

" _Yes, ma'am!"_

 _ **-XI-**_

"AAAAHHH!" Sora screamed as he fell from the mini mountain for the seventh time. He crashed into the ground, the air getting knocked out of his lungs in the process.

"It's not so easy when you don't have the Dying Will bullet's help, is it?" Reborn called from the highest cliff.

Sora didn't even bother to sit up as he muttered, "It's not so easy when you're physically exhausted and hurt all over."

"What was that?" Leon transformed into a boomerang in Reborn's hand.

"Uh…why can't I just do this in Dying Will Mode? It's not like you'll ever run out of bullets!" Sora blurted.

 _WHAM!_

The boomerang whacked Sora and then twirled back around into Reborn's grasp.

"Don't count on it," Reborn mysteriously replied. The hitman looked up at the setting sun and sighed. "Go home, Sora. We'll start again tomorrow."

The blond didn't argue the point, and tried to sit up. However, he couldn't bring himself to move, instead causing pain to surge throughout his body.

"AGH! Um, a little help down here?" Sora cried out.

Reborn chuckled and flew off in a jetpack of Leon's making.

As Sora watched his tutor go, he yelled, "Reborn, please! I can't—AGH!" The boy recoiled in pain. "God damn—OW! Help m—SHIT!"

"Reboooooorn! –YOW!"

 _ **-XI-**_

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: The Scorpion Twins**

 **Ken- Guess who?**

 **Kori- Um…do I know you?**

 **Ren- Bro! He hasn't met us yet!**

 **Ken- What? Stories of our triumph, of the terror we struck in the hearts of his friends haven't yet reached this…child?**

 **Kori- You're like as old as me!**

 **Kimiko- I was wrong. Time's up. Le Bestie are here.**


	15. The Scorpion Twins

**This was a** _ **really**_ **fun chapter to write! There's a lot of Kori's classic levity, great action, and some really tense moments! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.**

 **BTW this issue skips ahead 5 days. I will go back and reveal some of the key moments in their training, but it'll be during later fights.**

 **One review again? It's like we've hit a slump. Reviews really do motivate an author. I'll write this story no matter what, but it would be nice to know there are a handful of people out there who like it, and what they think. Okay, guilt trip over. XD**

 **valery-chan: I saw you reviewed from an alert email, but I deleted it shortly thereafter expecting I'd be able to see it later to respond. For whatever reason, your review of chapter 14 isn't showing up. If you want to review it again, that'd be great! I'd get back to you. If not, feel free to continue on with this issue. Thanks no matter what!**

 **...**

Reborn! Again

Target 15 – The Scorpion Twins

 **5 Days Later – Evening**

"I'm disappointed in you, Kori. It's been five days, and still you're not up to snuff," Kimiko said, tossing five balls into the air.

"Really? In my opinion it's a miracle I've come so far." Kori replied as he took aim with three arrows nocked at once. "I guess we're just lucky," a deep breath, then back, and release, "I'm a quick shot."

The first two arrows nabbed a ball apiece, but the last nailed three in a straight line. The shot hadn't taken longer than two seconds from the last ball leaving Kimiko's hand to the final arrow popping through its three targets.

"Yes, well, I didn't say you weren't talented," Kimiko admitted.

"It was implied," Kori playfully retorted.

"Alright. Enough banter. Five minute break, then we move on to the next and final phase of your training," Kimiko said, lying back on a tree branch.

As Kori collapsed onto the ground, two shadowy figures observed him from a bush a couple dozen yards away.

"Bro, we've got to start with this one. He looks tough, but he sure as hell is no boss," the first figure whispered to the other.

"No. We can't rush this. We haven't even analyzed the other two Guardians yet, bro," the other replied.

"I'm getting antsy. Boss man sent us to kill 'em all, and we got to start somewhere. Let's do it, bro," the first said.

"Sis will kill us."

"Nah. Not if we do it quick and easy."

"You know who that chick is, bro?"

"Don't know; don't care." The first figure reached into his jacket pocket and produced four needles. "Quick and easy. I got this."

"We do this, we kill the chick too. That's the Eleventh's sis, bro, Varia's Lightning chick," the second said, drawing his own needles.

"Whatever, bro. Just do it. Do it quick and easy," the first said.

Without further debate, the two quietly threw their needles. The projectiles silently arced through the air, going unnoticed until they glinted in the sunlight just a few feet from the two targets. Kimiko caught sight of them and reacted instinctively, rolling away.

"Kori!" she cried, but she needn't have worried. Her brother had collapsed onto his back in exhaustion, dodging the needles.

"Chill, sis. I'm not gonna nap or anything," Kori replied absent mindedly, completely ignorant of his near-death experience.

"Kori, get your ass up and grab your bow," Kimiko reached into her duffel bag and drew a sheathed katana, which she slid over her shoulder with its handle.

"Fine, fine," the pink-haired boy continued, casually standing up, bow in hand.

In the bush, the first shadowy figure said, "Damn. She seen us, bro."

"W-we should run," the other replied worriedly.

"LOL no, bro. It's time we make an entrance," the first declared, before leaping out of the shadows and into the light.

"You go, I go," the other muttered disappointedly, following his brother.

When the two assassins came into view, Kimiko immediately recognized them from the descriptions Sora and Katsuro had given days before when they'd described their previous encounter with the twins. Red eyes, messy brown hair, and matching crimson uniforms with hoods would have been more than enough to identify them, but the enormous stingers on their opposite arms absolutely gave them away.

"Guess who?" the first, Ken, stinger on his left arm, teased.

"Um…do I know you?" Kori wondered, clueless. He had a bad habit of ignoring his brother.

"Bro! He hasn't met us yet!" the other twin, Ren, stinger on his right arm, said.

"What? Stories of our triumph, of the terror we struck in the hearts of his friends haven't yet reached this…child?" Ken eloquently said.

"You're like as old as me! And don't be pretentious!" Kori spat, although he could tell they were even a couple years older than Sora.

"We basically lost that battle, bro," Ren muttered sheepishly.

"Bro, that isn't even—"

"SHUT UP!" Kimiko roared, unsheathing her katana. The blade was spotless silver, and the hilt covered in basic black leather patterned with a green dragon design.

"Are these guys supposed to be assassins?" Kori asked his sister, more to insult the twins than anything, "Because they're not quiet, and their lance things are soooo not subtle."

"We are subtle! We're sneaky like foxes, bro," Ken argued. "We almost killed you a minute ago, but you had to go and lie down."

"We're not foxes, bro. We're the Scorpion—"

"Die!" Kimiko leaped forward, trying to take out both brothers with a swipe.

However, her strike was interrupted by a new arrival. Leaping out of the shadows, a woman dressed in an enormous purple gown like something out of the 19th century blocked Kimiko's blade with one of her golden wrist guards. The guards themselves were adorned with the image of a spider, and the woman's black hair continued that theme, as it was drawn out into eight legs with an enormous bun at the top, creating the likeness of an arachnid.

Her pale blue eyes meeting Kimiko's sapphire gems, the woman said in monotone, "Pardon my younger brothers. They are immature and reckless."

While Kimiko remained visibly calm, her insides churned with newfound anxiety. She knew this woman…

"You're…"

"Arachne the Thirteenth, at your disservice. These are my brothers, Ken and Ren, the Scorpion Twins," the woman introduced in the same, eerily constant tone.

"Kimi-nee…" Kori muttered, eyeing his sister with worry.

"Run, Kori. Run and don't look back," Kimiko said, her shared stare with Arachne unbroken.

"I can't do that." Kori steadied himself, and nocked an arrow. "You know what they say: the best type of training is in life or death situations."

"Nobody says that," Kimiko replied, stepping back into a ready stance, her sword held up like a baseball bat.

"Yeah, well, I am pretty creative," Kori said.

"We'll keep this simple and honorable—" Arachne began

"Funny coming from an assassin," Kori spat. Both Kimiko's and Arachne's frowns deepened at that comment.

"I will leave your brother to Ren and Ken, and you, pupil of the Sword Emperor, will die by my hands," Arachne explained.

"Sounds fair. Two on one are my type of odds," Kori quipped.

"Ready?" Arachne asked.

"Go!" Kimiko whispered.

Everyone scattered.

 _ **-XI-**_

"Four minutes and fifty-eight seconds. You pass," Reborn timed with a Leon-morphed stopwatch as Sora flew by him in Dying Will Mode.

Sora collapsed against a tree, gasping for air, and switched out of Dying Will Mode. The path he'd just taken in the forest resembled the Amazon rainforest in that he had literally chopped down every tree in his way with his bare hands. As a result, Sora's hands were swollen and ached in a way he didn't know was possible.

"No more," Sora begged.

"You have at most two days until Le Bestie attack, Stupid Sora, and you just finished your _physical_ training. There's no time for rest," Reborn said.

"Ph-physical training? What else is there?" Sora asked between breaths.

Reborn smirked. "You're going to love it."

"For some reason, I seriously doubt that," Sora grumbled.

 _SMACK!_ Sora found himself on the wrong end of a tennis racket. Massaging his cheek, Sora prepared to whine, only to remain quiet at the sight of smoke in the distance.

"Um…aren't we supposed to be alone in the park?" he asked.

Reborn followed his gaze and frowned.

"That's just the others training, right?" Sora said, although he knew in his gut it wasn't the case.

"We have to go," Reborn audibly whispered.

"Where?" Sora asked, panic tightening in his chest. Then again, that might have just been his asthma.

"Anywhere but here."

 _ **-XI-**_

As Kori jumped away from the twins, he nocked two arrows and fired them. However, Ken and Ren blocked them both with their enormous stingers. The duo glanced at one another and began to laugh. Kori didn't retaliate with a biting remark, but rather with another two arrows. That quieted the twins, particularly as the force of the arrows knocked their stingers back against their chests.

"What happened to your humor, bro?" Ken growled.

"This isn't a joke," Kori spat back.

On the other side of the field, Kimiko and Arachne were flurries of action, as the eldest Nakamura's sword scraped off the assassin's wrist guards. At precisely the same moment, both women landed a blow on the other. Kimiko cut across Arachne's arm, as the assassin punched her in the chest.

Kimiko coughed up blood, and, with some of it lingering on her lips, said, "That all you got? Your little Wonder Woman routine can't beat me."

"Oh no, I'm holding back. This is for fun, after all. We've not been paid to kill _you_ ," Arachne replied, causing fury to bubble up in Kimiko's chest.

Growling with frustration, Kimiko charged again.

Meanwhile, the twins had done the same, coming at Kori from two different sides. The pink-haired boy's response was to flip away from both of them, precision firing an arrow at Ken's neck. However, the second before the projectile would have struck him, something broke the arrow in mid-air.

Kori grimaced as he glared at the now stinger-less Ren. He'd used his weapon as a projectile, launching it to break Kori's arrow, and it now rested in a tree close by.

"Apart we're powerful," Ren began.

"But together we're invincible," Ken finished, smiling at his brother. From there, he attacked Kori with tempestuous strikes, forcing the youngest Nakamura to use his bow to block them all, while Ren retrieved his stinger.

Kori finally managed to roll away to safety, and reached back for an arrow, only to discover he had two left. He nocked the one he needed, and then glanced at his sister, who was caught in furious combat with Arachne.

"I'm running out of arrows, Kimi-nee," Kori cried out, rolling away from a diving attack.

"Check the duffel bag!" Kimiko cried out, lunging for Arachne, who blocked her strike.

Kori's frown deepened. The twins stood between him and the duffel bag. Even worse, they knew that was his goal. He had to play this smart. Kori's frown flipped upside down. He had a plan.

Kori fired an arrow into the air, surprising the twins. They didn't move, even as Kori aimed the remaining arrow at Ken's throat.

"Come at us, bro." Ken grinned wickedly.

"Be careful what you wish for," Kori remarked, before relaxing his aim and running full speed at the assassins.

Ken's and Ren's eyes widened in shock, and the two got into defensive positions. Kori neared them, just feet away. Ken raised his stinger. That's when the arrow struck.

Soaring down from the sky, the arrow landed in Ken's stinger arm in a clothed but not armored section of his suit. Ken recoiled in pain, screaming, drawing both Ren's and Arachne's attention. This allowed Kori to sprint past the two, and Kimiko to slice Arachne horizontally across her chest. However, no blood spurted from Arachne's wound. In fact, there was no wound. Only her large dress had shredded, exposing what Kimiko immediately knew to be her real weapon.

"Congratulations. I'm going to kill you now," Arachne said through gritted teeth as four enormous robotic spider legs emerged from her tattered dress and planted themselves into the ground, lifting her off her feet.

In the midst of the other battle, Ren had rushed to his brother's side to help, shaking with fear, while Kori had tossed his quiver aside for the new one in the duffel bag, nocking his remaining arrow at the same time.

Kori smirked. "This is where it gets interesting."

 _ **-XI-**_

Sora and Reborn ran through the darkened forest as the sun set, further obscuring their path. Fear truly began to choke Sora, its grip growing tighter and tighter every time he imagined the smoke in the distance. What if it was an assassin? What if one of his friends had been targeted? Why was he running when he could help them? Suddenly, Reborn stopped in front of him, causing Sora to have to slide to a halt.

"What is it?" Sora asked.

"Listen," Reborn said.

Sora slowed his breathing and did as he was told. He could hear tiny branches breaking and leaves crumbling under someone's shoes. Leon transformed into a pistol in Reborn's hand as Sora turned to face the source of the noise. Closer, closer…

The figure moaned as it emerged from the shadows of the forest. Sora screamed.

"It's a zombie!" Sora cried out, as Reborn chuckled, lowering his pistol.

"Sora! It's me! It's just me!" Hide shouted, limping into what remained of the light. He did look somewhat like the undead, his body covered in bloody wounds and bruises, his face swollen, and his complexion pale.

"Thank God, Hide-kun. I thought…" Something clicked for Sora. "Wait, if you're here, then that means the smoke is by…"

Sora took off toward where he'd seen the smoke, much to Reborn's chagrin.

"Wait up, Sora!" Hide called out, doing his best to run after his boss.

At this moment, Makoto made his way to Reborn. "What happened?"

"Didn't you see?" Reborn asked.

"The smoke? Yeah. We were coming to check on you guys," Makoto said. The blond frowned, aware of what this new development meant. "So the smoke's coming from Kimi-nee and Kori-chan."

Reborn nodded. "They're in danger."

"Sora and Hide have already made up their minds. We can't let them go alone," Makoto said.

Reborn nodded again in agreement, and the two began to sprint after the boys.

 _ **-XI-**_

As Ren ripped the arrow from Ken's arm, Kori aimed and fired at him. The twins reacted in time, jumping away from the projectile. Both swiveled around to face Kori, Ken's eyes bloodshot with rage.

"You're dead, bro," Ken growled.

"Wasn't that the plan before?" Kori quietly muttered, drawing one of the new arrows. He was surprised to discover it didn't have bladed head. In fact, it was unlike any arrowhead he'd ever seen: a black cylinder marked with a small fire pattern.

Shrugging, Kori turned and fired the new arrow at the injured Ken as the twins charged him. Ken raised his stinger to block the blow, only for the arrow to explode against it, knocking him back onto the ground. Ren slowed to a stop and ran back to his brother, while Kori admired his handiwork.

"God bless the Vongola," Kori whispered, drawing two arrows. The first was another explosive arrow, and the other marked with an image of a snowflake. "Ooh boy. I know where this is going."

This time, however, the twins had a new plan. As Kori fired the arrows, they projected their stingers, which took the brunt of the blows, one freezing and the other getting knocked away by an explosion. Using this opening, Ren and Ken hurried forward, making it close enough to Kori that he couldn't fire his newly drawn arrow.

Ken flipped over Kori and ripped his quiver off, tossing it away, while Ren began to engage the pink-haired boy in close combat. Kori wasn't trained to survive so close up, so he rather quickly found himself disarmed and knocked to the ground.

At the other side of the field, caught in a flurry of strikes, the battle even handed, Kimiko caught sight of her brother's distress. However, she reacted appropriately, leaping away from Arachne to dodge her onslaught. In mid-air, Kimiko grit her teeth, threw her katana, and lit the silver ring she wore on her right hand with a powerful green flame. In turn, the blade glowed with the same startling color. Kimiko moved her arm to guide the sword, using it almost like an extension of herself to slide under one of Kori's scattered arrows, and flip it over to him.

As Ken drew a knife from his suit and raised it for the killing blow, Kori saw the arrow and caught it. Without a second to lose, he did the only thing he could think to do. Kori jammed the arrow into the ground, breaking its tip. Electricity exploded from the arrowhead, striking the three boys and knocking them unconscious.

"Brothers!" Arachne cried, stopping in place as she neared Kimiko.

The swordswoman grimaced and returned the sword to her hand. She faced Arachne.

"Run or die," Kimiko growled.

Arachne looked at her, and slowly smiled madly as a plan dawned in her mind. "As you wish."

The assassin leaped for her brothers, Kimiko realizing far too late what she was planning. Arachne grabbed all three boys, including Kori, with three of her robotic legs, and then used the last to leap away, covering dozens of yards with one jump.

Kimiko threw her sword after Arachne, but the woman was too fast and the sword's range too limited. The assassin escaped, just as Sora and Hide entered the battleground.

"Nee-san! What the hell's…" Sora frowned, noticing his brother was gone. "Where's Kori?"

"He's gone," Kimiko stated, gazing after her kidnapped brother. "Le Bestie took him."

"No! _NO!_ " Sora collapsed onto all fours and punched the ground. "This is my fault! Dammit, this is what I was talking about! He was taken because of me!"

"Sora…" Hide struggled for something to say.

"Stand up, Stupid Sora. Your brother isn't dead yet." Reborn's voice came from the shadows as the hitman emerged with Makoto.

Sora glared back at the infant. "Yeah? Well, how the hell are we going to find him?"

"Figure it out," Reborn spat, silencing Sora. He then turned to face Kimiko, who couldn't meet his gaze. "What happened?"

"The Spider and the Scorpion Twins showed up. Kori beat the twins, but fainted in the process. I…I was too slow. I couldn't stop her…" Kimiko said, shaking with rage, tears threatening to bubble to the surface. Sora was already crying, and Makoto had sat down at his side to comfort him.

"I'm sorry. I was wrong. Time's up. Le Bestie are here," Kimiko finished, before slamming her sword into the ground with a frustrated cry.

Reborn turned away, his expression shrouded by his fedora. Sora pushed his brother away, and looked up at his tutor.

Tears falling down his cheeks, eyes darkened with rage, Sora shouted, "REBORN!"

The hitman slowly turned to his pupil.

Sora continued, "We're going to find them. We will save Kori. And I swear to God, I'll kill every last one of them if I have to!"

Suddenly, Leon's tail fell off and fluttered to the ground, going unnoticed by all but one pair of eyes. A smile slowly crept over Reborn's lips.

 _ **-XI-**_

 **Please go check out my Tumblr side blog: AllStarDrake! I've already posted some "behind the scenes" explications of Reborn! Again, and more are on their way. It's basically replaced my Youtube channel idea, and it's much easier to keep up with. Thanks! : )**

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: Little Brother**

 **Makoto- We have to think this through. Sora, they're stronger than you. All of you.**

 **Sora- I don't give a damn! Kori's in trouble, and I'm going to save him!**

 **Kimiko- No! Absolutely not! I already lost one brother. I'm not going to lose another.**

 **Reborn- What are you doing, Sora?**

 **Sora- What do you think?**


	16. Little Brother

**This is up a little early, but I don't think you guys will mind. Not much else to say besides I've decided to stop bugging you guys about reviewing. I've gotten kind of pathetic about it. Do it if you feel inspired to, or don't. I'll keep writing either way. With that, I'll end the last mention of reviews (beyond thanks, of course).**

 **Valery-chan: In case you didn't see my pm, your review for ch. 14 showed up. *** **Shrugs** *** I have no idea what went wrong the first time I checked. As for your latest review, I'm pretty sure that was the first time I mentioned Kimiko's connection to the Varia. And I know! I hate spiders too! I've had a fear of them ever since I saw Harry Potter 2 as a child. Also, the Rain Guardian will enter the fray soon enough, but Cloud and Mist will have to wait till later. In fact, the next arc is titled "The Cloud Trials." :)**

…

Reborn! Again

Target 16 – Little Brother

Sora let loose a guttural roar as he slammed his fist against the side of his home's gatepost. The sudden action caused his friends to freeze behind him. Kimiko grimaced, suffering from the same inner turmoil. Makoto pursed his lips, struggling for something to say. The two fellow Nami Middle students eyed their boss and friend worriedly. Reborn merely frowned, while Leon morphed between objects atop his fedora.

Quivering, without facing the others, Sora whimpered, "How do we tell Mom?"

"She may not even be awake. It's late. We spent hours looking for Kori—" Makoto tried, before Sora interrupted him.

Turning around, eyes sparkling with tears and rage, Sora shouted, _"How do we tell Mom?"_

"You don't," Reborn said.

Sora looked at his tutor with barely contained anger, only to find it subsided at the sight of the hitman. The blond collapsed, and cupped his head in his hands.

Sora sniffled. "This is all my fault. Kori…"

"Your fault? You were born into this position. You're untrained, as was Kori," Kimiko pointed out, before continuing, "On the other hand, I'm fully trained, a member of Vongola's elite Varia. I was there…and I'm the eldest." Kimiko gazed at the ground. "I'm supposed to be able to protect you all."

Makoto didn't hesitate to wrap his arm around his sister, who didn't offer any affection in return. None of the Nakamuras spoke. The other boys couldn't either, both unsure of whether it was their place to talk.

"Grow up, all of you," Reborn quietly demanded. No one but Sora returned his gaze, and the blond shot right back with a look of rage. "People make mistakes. Sometimes, you can't win a fight. Sometimes you're outnumbered. Sometimes you lose a comrade, and sometimes, no matter the odds, you save one."

"He could be dead," Sora spat through his tears.

"Yes," Reborn admitted. "Or, he could be alive. Don't give up hope. Don't bemoan your existence. Don't pity yourself or others. Fight. Fight like you told me you would, Sora."

"I can't until we find out where the hell they are," Sora growled back. This time, neither Kimiko nor Reborn chided him. Not for his cursing, anyway.

"Think, Sora, think. You looked all over Namimori and couldn't find Le Bestie, meaning they clearly don't want to be found," Reborn began.

"How does that help us?" Sora demanded.

"Let me finish!" Reborn emphasized the order with a smack, using Leon's recent transformation into a fly swatter as a weapon. "If Le Bestie doesn't want to be found, but they're intent on killing you…"

"They'll contact me," Sora realized, "They'll use Kori as a hostage, meaning he has to be alive."

Reborn smiled.

"So, what do we do?" Hide threw out the obvious question.

Kimiko pulled away from her brother, wiped away her tears, and calmly said, "We wait."

So they did just that. The team waited, not inside for fear of disturbing Suzume's rest, but outdoors, against the Nakamura's picket fence. They waited for hours without a word spoken. Before long, Hide had fallen asleep. Soon after, Makoto did the same. Reborn was the first to snooze, collapsing onto a hammock he'd pulled out of nowhere, a snot bubble under his nose growing and shrinking with each breath. Leon chaotically changed between forms at his side.

Katsuro became drowsy, but shook the thought of sleep away. He had to stay up. He had to be loyal to Sora. After all, he hadn't been there for him at first, when he'd suffered the most. He'd met up with the others later, and Sora had to explain the situation. Meanwhile, Katsuro had to lie about his, claiming his mentor had worn a mask.

" _Tell Sora my secret and I'll bite you to death,"_ Hikari had warned him.

Katsuro shuddered. Somehow, with that girl, he didn't doubt it.

Kimiko and Sora had remained alert. Neither could shake the feeling of guilt that loomed over them. Neither could bring themselves to speak or sleep.

Sora took a moment to look over at his snoozing mentor, and more specifically the mess that was Leon. Reborn had given a bland explanation for Leon's rapid transformations on the way to the house.

" _Leon's undergoing a metamorphosis."_

Whatever that meant. All Sora cared about from that batch of weirdness was that Leon would be ready to produce more Dying Will Bullets when the time arose. Then again, Reborn hadn't confirmed Sora's sentiments. He'd simply shrugged. What could Sora do without the Dying Will Bullets? How would he save Kori? Could he still fight with his Dying Will?

Sora sighed and gazed up at the dark blue sky, slowly becoming lost in thought and memory…

 _ **-XI-**_

" _Big Bro! Big Bro!" Kori, a few inches shorter than Sora at 4'6" and his hair a dull brown, ran up to his brother's side._

" _What is it, Kori?" the 10-year-old Sora grumbled, playing alone on a swing in the park._

" _Come play with us, Sora-nii! Be on my team!" Kori demanded, grabbing his brother's arm and pulling him off the swing._

 _Sora exclaimed in surprise, "Wha-?" before pulling his arm away from his brother. He looked out at the field, where Kori's friends had stopped playing soccer to wait for him. They all glared at Sora, their feelings all too clear. None of them wanted him anywhere near the ball, and especially not on their team._

 _Sora's expression softened with sadness for a moment, before he hardened his gaze and turned away, crossing his arms, "Soccer's lame, Kori."_

" _Come on, big bro! Really, you can be on my team!" Kori said, practically begging his brother to come along. "Nobody will mind!"_

 _Something broke in Sora. He swiveled around, arms out, and accidentally smacked his brother, who fell over. Sora stared down weakly at his brother's big, teary eyes for a few moments before his rage returned._

" _Why do you care so much, huh? If I'm on your team, you'll lose! I can't help you, Kori, and I don't want to!"_

 _With that Sora stormed off, leaving Kori to watch him go. Eventually, a couple of the soccer kids ran over to the boy and helped him up._

" _Forget him, Kori. Your brother's a jerk," the first said._

" _Yeah, and he_ does _suck at soccer. All sports, really," the other added._

 _Kori frowned and slugged the second boy, saying, "You're wrong! My big bro's great! Better than you!"_

 _The first soccer kid tackled Kori to the ground, but the young Nakamura managed to kick him off. However, the two kids' combined strength meant Kori didn't stand a chance, and when the others joined in he was completely beat. They held Kori against the ground and punched him, while no parents either saw or bothered to intervene._

 _However, someone did notice the scuffle. Sora watched from behind a tree, and when it became clear his brother was outnumbered, he ran into the fray and began to pull kids off Kori._

" _Get off him! I'll kick all your asses!" Sora shouted._

 _But he didn't. The two Nakamuras fought with all they had, but they were taking on nearly a dozen kids. They lost the fight and were left leaning against each other for support, while the others ran off to finish their game._

" _That went well," Kori said seriously, smiling._

" _We got our asses whooped," Sora retorted, shaking his head. "Someday, I swear no one's gonna be able to beat me…or you."_

" _Heh," Kori chuckled, "I finally did it."_

" _Did what?" Sora wondered._

" _I finally got you on my team."_

 _Sora's eyes widened. Slowly, a smile crept over his lips. The ten-year-old rubbed away tears._

" _Big Bro…?" Kori asked, seeing movement out of the corner of his eyes._

" _Nothing. It's nothing," Sora said. He looked back at his brother to the best of his ability. "Y'know, Kori, I've always been on your team, and I always will be."_

" _Yeah?"_

" _Yeah."_

" _Promise?"_

 _ **-XI-**_

"I promise," Sora whispered, a tear sliding down his cheek.

 _RING!_

Sora and the others shot up as quick as lightning. The blond reached into his pants pocket and produced his cellphone. He looked at it. Blocked number. Of course. Sora lifted the phone up to his ear, answering.

"Hello?"

"Nakamura Sora," came a deep, icy voice from the other end of the line.

"Where is he?" Sora growled.

"Your cute little brother is alive."

As if to emphasize the point, the man put the phone up to Kori, who screamed, "Don't come, Sora! Don't you dare come!"

"See? Alive," the man said, speaking into the phone again.

"What do you want?" Sora demanded.

"I thought my associates had made that clear. We've been hired to kill you," the man answered.

"And you want to trade me for him?" Sora asked, realization dawning on him. Reborn and Kimiko both grimaced, all too aware this was the case.

"Of course," the man replied.

Sora paused, waiting for a moment to think. He looked at Kimiko, who shook her head.

"If I were to agree to the deal, where would I find you? And how would I know I could trust you?" Sora demanded, causing Kimiko to sigh in frustration.

"You can't, but we're the ones with your little brother. As for where to find us…well, do you agree to the deal?" the man asked.

"Yes," Sora immediately replied.

"Then come alone to Namimori Mall within the next 24 hours—"

Kimiko took the phone from Sora's hand, keeping him from hearing the rest.

"Hey! _Hey!_ " Sora cried out, as Kimiko raised the phone to her ear.

"There will be no deal. We will find you and kill you, mark my words," Kimiko growled, before hanging up.

"You just killed Kori!" Sora exclaimed.

"They need him. They'll keep him alive," Kimiko retorted.

"How do you know that?" Sora demanded. Before anyone could reply, he shook his head, continuing, "Y'know what? Forget that. I'm going!"

Kimiko grabbed her brother before he could move and pinned him against the gate.

"We have to think this through. There's got to be another way," Makoto said.

"There is! I'll go there and kill them all!" Sora shouted.

"What ever happened to the pacifist?" Reborn muttered.

"Sora, they're stronger than you," Makoto continued, motioning to the other boys, "All of you."

"That's fine, because they wanted me to go alone anyway," Sora said. "And I don't give a damn! Kori's in trouble, and I'm going to save him—even if I have to die doing it!"

"No! Absolutely not!" Kimiko growled. "I already lost one brother. I'm not going to lose another!"

"Stop acting like Kori's dead! He isn't! Not yet!" Sora shot back.

"That's not what you were saying a minute ago," Kimiko spat.

"Well, I've changed my mind," Sora retorted.

"Enough!" Reborn demanded.

The others quieted, and all looked at him. Reborn glanced at Kimiko, who let Sora go. The blond massaged his wrists and met Reborn's gaze.

"You will sleep on this, Sora, and we will decide tomorrow," Reborn ordered.

The Vongola heir grimaced. He looked away, but his expression softened.

After a moment, he said, "Fine. Tomorrow it is. We've got 24 hours, anyway."

With all that said, a few worried glances were thrown around, but nobody spoke up again. Sora opened the gate, took a step into the yard, and then promptly collapsed.

Kimiko sighed. "Idiot. He's been training too hard to take on anyone, let alone Le Bestie."

The two elder Nakamuras lifted their brother off the ground and carried him inside. The Vongola Guardians looked at one another, sharing a thought, but didn't speak up. Both entered the house after the siblings.

Reborn simply smirked.

 _ **-XI-**_

Hours later, at nearly four in the morning, Sora's phone vibrated atop his nightstand, and the boy woke up. It was unusual for him, certainly, to wake up so easily, particularly when he was as tired as he was, but he had both been getting used to sleeplessness and had something pushing him. Hours before he had faked his collapse, and had set the alarm when he was alone. He was determined to save his brother.

Sora turned off the alarm and sat up. He looked over at the snoring Reborn. Smirking, the boy took a moment to absorb the moment. The infant seemed so peaceful when he slept, so unlike his usual hostile self. Sora sighed, shaking his head, and quietly put on clean clothes. An orange hoodie over a white shirt, black jeans, and his usual converse completed the outfit.

Sora looked at himself in the mirror. His hair was a mess. He had bags under his eyes. He certainly wasn't in fighting shape, but that didn't matter. He wouldn't be fighting. He'd be dying.

"What are you doing, Sora?"

The teen had to cover his own mouth to keep from shrieking. He turned back to face Reborn, who was sitting up in his cot looking at him with a blank expression.

Sora steadied himself, and then confidently replied, "What do you think? I'm going to save Kori."

"By sacrificing yourself?"

"…yes."

Reborn sighed, shaking his head. "That's not what I taught you, Stupid Sora. You may die, but don't stay dead. Fight with your Dying Will."

Sora frowned. He glanced away for a moment, before returning his gaze to Reborn. "Will you come with me?"

Reborn hopped off his cot and threw away his pajamas, revealing a suit underneath it all. Sora sweat dropped. Leave it to the weirdo infant hitman to wear a suit under his PJs.

Finishing the outfit with his usual fedora, Leon still a morphing mess atop it, Reborn said, "What are you waiting for? Go, Sora."

The blond nodded, and immediately headed for his balcony staircase. He carefully unlocked and opened the door. Taking one last look at his room, Sora breathed deeply. This could be it. He may never see his room again.

Reborn grimaced and knocked Sora down the stairs with a flying kick. "Hurry up!"

Sora moaned in pain, but managed to sit up. He glanced around worriedly. "You could've woken up the whole house!"

"Relax. You're a quiet faller," Reborn said, as he produced a bag from under his bed and followed Sora outside.

"I don't know what that means…" Sora grumbled, rubbing his head as he stood up.

"It's self-explanatory," Reborn retorted, tossing the bag to Sora.

"Umph," the boy grunted, catching it. "Whatev—"

Sora cut himself off as he turned around. His eyes widened in shock. Casually sitting before him on lawn chairs were Hide and Katsuro, both wide awake. Hide's face was relatively healed (probably the result of Makoto's Dying Will Flame), and he'd since put on square-rimmed glasses. It seemed he had finished his training the previous day, and had been casually sparring ever since. Only a few cuts remained. Katsuro, on the other hand, was covered in bruises. He sported bandages over his nose and a cut on his cheek, and numerous wraps over his arms and legs.

"'Sup, boss," Hide greeted.

"Weren't planning on ditching us, were you?" Katsuro added.

"Katsuro-kun, Hide-kun," Sora couldn't help but smile. "What are you doing—"

"Helping you, and don't even try to convince us otherwise," Katsuro said.

"But we got into this mess because—"

"With all due respect, shut up," Hide interrupted. "We're going with you. It's our job as Guardians to stay by your side."

"Guys…" Sora's eyes welled up with tears.

"Don't argue, Stupid Sora!" Reborn slapped away Sora's tears. "Just go!"

Sora didn't even grimace at the pain. He simply continued to smile, and stood up straight. His eyes shrouded by darkness, Sora stepped forward.

"You heard the man. Let's go," Sora said. "The four of us against Le Bestie."

"Five," Reborn added, hopping onto Sora's shoulder.

"Five?" Sora glanced at the hitman, who didn't even bother to look back. Neither of the Guardians had seemed to notice Reborn's comment, so Sora shrugged and continued onwards. Maybe he'd misheard Reborn.

The three exited the backyard, beginning a trek to the mall. As they left, Sora confidently led the pack, while Hide and Katsuro remained just behind him. The athlete beat his fist against an open palm, eyes alight with determination. Katsuro glared at the road ahead, his claw hammer in hand. The Vongola were ready.

They were ready to fight.

 _ **-XI-**_

 **Please check out my Tumblr side blog, AllStarDrake, and 'note,' reblog, or pm me so I know I'm not posting there for nothing. If I get even one of any of the above, I'll continue my "Behind the Scenes of Reborn! Again" series, as well as begin a few other bonus series I have planned. Thanks!**

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: The First Wave**

 **Reborn- We have one Dying Will Bullet.**

 **Sora- WHAT?!**

 **Reborn- Don't die unless I'm the one who kills you.**

 **?- Look who showed up! Welcome, Vongola, to Namimori Mall! Welcome to your deaths!**

 **Arachne- I hope you enjoy the experience. I know we will.**


	17. The First Wave

**This was a fun issue, both because the real action FINALLY started and I thought the situation presented was quite intense. I dunno. You tell me.**

 **Also, I've decided to switch the release date to every other Friday, because I work on Saturdays. This will make things much less complicated for me.**

 **valery-chan: Great question. Box Weapons definitely exist, but the Vongola's done a good job of keeping them contained. However, you'll begin to see them used in the next arc, and they'll appear more and more each arc after that. The Eleventh Gen will get their own relatively soon (arc after the next, in fact).**

 **...**

Reborn! Again

Target 17 – The First Wave

"I take it we're not gonna address the elephant in the room," Sora muttered, eyeing the glowing ball that had once been Leon.

"Considering we're outside, it might be difficult," Reborn quipped, ignoring Sora's continued effort to make ball-Leon the subject of conversation.

"I mean, Leon's been a glowing ball of goo ever since we left my house. I think that warrants discussion," Sora added.

"I just assumed since he, y'know, transforms that he'd decided to chill as a ball for a while," Katsuro admitted.

"Didn't really think about it," Hide offered, apparently noticing Leon for the first time. The athlete frowned. "Wait, the chameleon's alive? And transforms? I always assumed it was a doll."

"And the bright, sparkly transformations didn't catch your attention?" Sora deadpanned.

"Not at all."

"Ignore him. Kagome has basketballs for brains," Katsuro grumbled.

"C'mon, you could at least try to pretend like you like me. We're on the same team," Hide replied, genuinely hurt.

"Enough!" Sora interjected, stopping to point at the goo-ball-chameleon, "Reborn, what's up with Leon? Because we need him. I need him."

"If you're worried about a gun, I brought an extra."

Reborn produced a pistol from his suit. Sora resisted the temptation to wonder aloud how he kept a gun in his oh-so-tiny jacket, but he knew that would only result in pain, so he kept quiet.

"And the Dying Will Bullets—Leon produces them, right?" Sora asked.

"Uh huh," Reborn nodded, "We have one."

"WHAT?!" Sora exclaimed.

Reborn used the butt of his gun to smack Sora across his nose. "Quiet! You'll wake the whole neighborhood up!"

Sora cupped his nose, and glared at Reborn, as the others watched, confused. "One Dying Will Bullet? That's, what, a little over ten minutes of Dying Will Mode?"

"So?" Reborn wondered.

"So I didn't finish my training! I could die!" Sora said in a hushed tone.

"Ah, yes. That," Reborn noted, "You'll be fine."

The hitman continued walking down the sidewalk as Sora fumed with rage. Katsuro patted his boss on the back.

"The baby knows what he's talking about. You'll do great," Katsuro said.

"Yeah, I can't say I know what Dying Will Mode is, but I'm sure it isn't that big of a deal," Hide encouraged.

Sora sweat dropped. "Coming from you two, that doesn't mean much."

"Ouch. What exactly is 'Dying Will Mode' and why's it gotten you so freaked out?" Katsuro asked, while the three continued after Reborn.

"That fiery thing I do after Reborn shoots me? Yeah, that," Sora grumbled.

"Oh. Well, that may be a problem," Katsuro admitted, to which Sora nodded. "I always assumed you could kind of just do that yourself."

"Then what was the bullet for?" Sora retorted.

"Hey, this mafia stuff gets weird. I try not to think about it too much," Katsuro defended.

"Wiser words have never been spoken," Hide said.

"…okay, now I see how far I've fallen," Katsuro muttered.

"Again with the hate," Hide cooed, shaking his head.

"We're doomed," Sora moaned to himself.

"Not entirely," Reborn finally chimed in again. All eyes were on him as the group trudged down the road. "You're afraid you're too weak and unprepared, Sora. Leon only enters his cocoon state when my student is about to enter a life-or-death battle—a game-changing experience."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" Sora grumbled.

"It will," Reborn cryptically stated, and wouldn't speak more of it, leaving Sora to think on Reborn's words. The way he'd spoken…it was as if there was more to Leon's transformation. Something was coming, and Sora had a gut feeling that whatever it was would help him.

"We've arrived," Katsuro muttered, looking up at the enormous building before them. The others did the same, Hide sliding his glasses into his athletic jacket's pocket at the same time.

Sora hadn't noticed how far they had come. They were already at the mall, at the site of his 'life-or-death battle.' He took a deep breath, and thought of Kori. He could do this. Without a word, Sora stepped past his friends and walked through the automatic sliding doors.

As Sora entered, Reborn hopped onto his shoulder and whispered, "Hold out for a few minutes. Don't die unless I'm the one who kills you."

"Easier said than done," Sora quietly retorted, looking up as he walked through the doorway into an enormous entry hall. Shops lined both sides, and two escalators led up and down a second floor just a dozen yards away. Between the escalators and Sora were two vendors' stands, both selling technology of some sort. The mall was empty. It should've been closed, but no…Sora knew better. After Eiji and the museum experience, he knew what this meant.

"Look who showed up!" came a new voice.

A foreign man in his early twenties appeared at the top of the escalators. He wore a lightly padded gold and black full-body uniform, leaving only his head exposed. Atop his head sat a mop of blond hair and yellow-lensed athletic glasses. The man's smile was wide and cruel, his canines sticking out whenever he closed his mouth. Unseen by Sora, gold FiveFingers shoes covered the man's feet.

Just behind the man emerged Arachne, wearing a newly knitted enormous red dress with a wide bustle. She had, apparently, completely healed from the wound Kimiko had dealt her; how, Sora couldn't be sure. Arachne herself offered only a chilly glare. It _was_ clear she took her brothers' injuries personally.

"And look who you've brought with you! Not quite the 'come alone' deal, but we'll manage," the man eagerly continued as the two Guardians entered the mall, glaring at him. "My name is Arthur Cobalt, the Cheetah! Welcome, Vongola, to Namimori Mall!"

With a flourish of his hands, Arthur theatrically finished, "Welcome to your deaths!"

On cue, two dozen masked gunners popped out on either side of the assassin duo from behind cover, and planted their rifles on the handrail for balance. The Vongola trio stepped back and watched, eyes wide with surprise. Even Reborn frowned, shaken.

"I hope you enjoy the experience," Arachne cruelly added, raising her hand. "I know we will."

"SORA!" Katsuro cried, diving for his friend as Arachne lowered her hand.

Bullets rained through the air, but the Vongola managed to make it behind one of the vendor stands in time. Sora, frozen in shock, would have been caught in the onslaught if not for Katsuro's help. The blond shook with fear as bullets clattered against the metal stand protecting them from certain doom.

"I couldn't move," Sora muttered, holding his legs tightly against his chest.

"I could," Katsuro noted, a proud smile creeping over his lips. "I didn't freeze up."

"Aren't you lucky," Hide said through gritted teeth.

Katsuro looked at the Sun Guardian, who was gripping his left leg in pain. Blood seeped between his fingers.

"Oh God…Kagome…"

"It's fine. The bullet went clean through. I can heal myself, but…" Hide looked at Sora for insight. "I'll be out of juice. I won't be able to heal anyone else."

Sora didn't reply, his eyes now blank. Reborn sighed and slapped him, knocking the fugue state away.

"Your subordinate is addressing you, Stupid Sora. Respond," Reborn demanded.

Sora stared at his tutor for a moment, focused, and then nodded. He looked at Hide with clear eyes. "Do it. We need you."

Hide nodded and got right to work. He pulled two white gloves emblazoned with the Vongola crest from his athletic jacket and put them on. Then, he ripped his leather necklace off and slipped the ring from it onto his finger. Slowly, he moved his hands over his wound.

"Makoto taught you his trick?" Sora wondered.

"Among other things," Hide agreed. "This might take a while. You guys will have to take the lead with these jerks."

"I've got it. I'll protect Sora," Katsuro said.

Hide smiled, but didn't look at Katsuro. Instead, he scrunched up his brow and concentrated. "Thanks, Saito."

Sora resisted the urge to smile at the shared camaraderie. Both could get along after all. The blond also held back from scolding Katsuro. He could handle himself, but that didn't matter now. This was a battleground.

The hail of bullets finally stopped. It seemed as if the gunners had to reload. Sora began to rise, but Katsuro grabbed his arm and pulled him back down.

"Don't. They could be waiting for you to make a move," Katsuro warned.

As if to prove his point, Arthur cried out, "Come out, come out, Vongola! Don't make us tear all the way through that stand to kill you! We'll make it quick. You won't feel a thing…probably," the man cackled.

Sora examined the stand. The assassin was right. Another couple rounds of bullets and they'd be dead. They needed something to distract the gunners. They needed a miracle.

"Right on time," Reborn whispered, grinning.

"What?" Sora asked, looking at the hitman.

Reborn simply raised a finger to his lips, quieting Sora, and then pointed up at the ceiling.

Suddenly, the lights shut off. Arthur and Arachne both backed up a step, glancing around. The Spider couldn't see much, but the Cheetah's glasses allowed him the gift of night vision. Still…

"I don't see anything," he whispered to his partner, "The kids haven't moved."

"We have the Lightning Guardian, so this isn't his doing," Arachne growled back.

Unbeknownst to the assassins, their gunners were silently being picked off one by one. The first couple went down when shurikens slipped into their chests, the weapons covered in a chemical that caused them to faint immediately. The next few were less fortunate, their throats slit. Most fell down before the first couple deaths occurred, their body heat fading. When they did, however, it caught Cheetah's attention.

"There's another!" Arthur cried, as a figure leaped toward him, the last of the gunners collapsing. The assassin blocked the figure's bladed blow by flipping back and activating silver claws from the toes of his Fivefinger shoes, which scraped against the attacker's curved weapon.

"Not bad," the figure teased as he backflipped to the bottom of the escalator without so much as a thump.

The lights flickered on. Caught in the light, the figure blinked to clear his vision while Cheetah's lenses automatically adjusted.

Arthur tapped his earpiece and growled into it, "Boss! The Vongola brat brought friends! Kill the kid and send reinforcements!"

"Friend? Me? No…" the figure, a boy, said, his messy azure hair shrouding his eyes.

"That voice…" Sora muttered, peeking over the stand. Seeing he was in the clear, he stood up completely, and his jaw dropped at the sight before him.

 _ **-XI-**_

"—kill the kid and send reinforcements!"

Half a dozen shrouded figures waited around a darkened room in varying positions of relaxation. Cheetah's voice came through each of their earpieces. In the middle of the room was a silver chair, a terrified but defiant Kori strapped into it, his mouth covered by a piece of duct tape.

One of the figures, an impressively muscular man, stepped forward, "Ya heard Cheetah. I'll crush the kid's head."

"No, Rhino. Leave my dear Kori alone," another shrouded figure cooed, leaning against the seatback of Kori's chair.

"But Boss—"

" _Don't argue with me_. Kori remains alive. It wouldn't be any fun to kill him off yet," the man, clearly the leader, replied, much to Rhino's chagrin. "But, since you're aching for some action, go. Kill the opposition."

"…Yessir," Rhino reluctantly agreed, and hurried out of the room.

"Bosssss…?" another shadowy figure, a lithe woman, began.

"Yes, you too, Snake. And Armadillo, go. The rest, stay behind," the leader ordered.

Snake and Armadillo, a thick woman, both bowed and then left. The remaining two assassins, one a small, thin man and the other a tall, muscular woman, looked at their boss.

The thin figure asked in a dry tone, "So, how long are we waiting, boss? Not that I care…"

"Patience, Bat. We will… _test_ the Vongola children. If they pass, well, I have something planned for them. But if not…?" The leader ruffled Kori's hair. The boy attempted to protest, but the sound was muffled by tape.

" _My dear, sweet Kori dies."_

 _ **-XI-**_

"This has gotta be a sick joke…" Katsuro grumbled, as he too rose.

"What—mmgh—is it?" Hide asked from the floor, healing his wound.

Reborn smirked.

The Vongola's savior stood in the light, dressed in a black long-sleeved shirt, pants, gloves, and boots, his blue hooded cape pulled back. In his hands casually hung a kusarigama—a chain scythe. Obata Eiji took a moment to look back at Sora, and smiled wickedly.

" _Miss me?"_

 _ **-XI-**_

 **How 'bout them apples?**

 **I have no problem admitting that Eiji is a Guardian. The how's and why's will be revealed in due time. Until then—guess! Which Guardian is he? If someone gets it right, I'll reveal the answer.**

 **Also, remember to check out my Tumblr side blog, AllStarDrake, and give it some love! XD**

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: Return of the Reaper**

 **Sora- Eiji, you're on** _ **our**_ **side?**

 **Eiji- It's a long story. Worry about that later.**

 **Arachne- The Vongola brat is mine!**

 **Hide- Ready when you are.**

 **Cheetah- DIE!**


	18. Return of the Reaper

**So, as it turns out, I lied to you guys. I am going to directly address reviews again. Last issue, there wasn't a single review. Before I get into the nitty gritty, I want to clarify, I'm not mad. I'm not a troll, haha! Valery-chan, you've been so wonderful, so you can ignore this. Everyone else, please pay attention. For a long time, I pretended like reviews mattered very little to me, but that's not true. It's not that I want to get "famous" here (whatever that means on a site as small as this XD), but I love sharing stories just as much as I love creating them. Writing is my passion, but with that comes interaction with an audience. If I don't know what people think, good or bad, it's tough to motivate myself to write. I've only got one chapter left in my backlog. I need some motivation, and I think most writers would agree with me.**

 **Please, comment on the chapters. Review. Tell me what you think. I just want to know that people care. That I'm not writing this for nothing.**

 **With that said, I'm taking one month off this title. The reason is two-fold. First, so I can get my backlog on track again, and second, so I can figure out what to do to both promote and improve this story so you will be motivated to review it.**

 **Thank you for your patience, thank you for reading this series, and please review!**

 **...**

Reborn! Again

Target 18 – Return of the Reaper

Hours before the briefest glimpses of the sun could be seen, Kimiko awoke. She tossed and turned, failing to fall back asleep. Dark thoughts plagued her mind. Kori…she'd lost him. It was her fault. She was the oldest, the most trained, _the one who had been there._

Grumbling, she got out of bed, put on slippers, and headed downstairs. Knowing Sora, he probably couldn't sleep either. A guilty conscience ran in their family. She'd first figured that out years prior with their father.

Kimiko shook her head. Maybe she could talk to Sora, sort out her thoughts. She found herself rising back up the stairs, but stopped herself. She couldn't check Sora's room. Awake or not, the boy needed to rest. He needed to be alone, if only for a few hours. Maybe she did, too.

Kimiko sneaked into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of milk. Maybe after this, she'd be able to sleep. Mom had always given her one when she'd had night terrors as a child. Maybe still, after all these years, it would help.

Kimiko sipped the milk and glanced across the entryway into the living room. Sora's Guardians would be asleep in there. She couldn't quite see them from the kitchen, but both the couch and air mattress were out of view. Neither of them snored. Not unusual, but slightly unexpected. Katsuro had seemed like a snorer.

Bored and slightly paranoid, Kimiko stood up and tip toed into the living room. Tightening her grip on her glass, Kimiko resisted the urge to scream in frustration. The boys were gone.

Kimiko hurried up the stairway and quietly opened the door to Sora's room. His bed was empty, the sheets strewn about. Even Reborn was gone.

"Dammit," she whispered.

Kimiko ran into Kori's room. Makoto had agreed to bite the bullet and spend the night there.

Shaking her brother, Kimiko quietly demanded, "Wake up! Now!"

Makoto turned over and blinked tiredly at her. "Whassit…?"

"The boys—all of them—are gone. Reborn went with them."

It was like Kimiko had fired a gun. Makoto had sprung up onto his feet and started putting on clothes as if his life depended on it. But it was worse than that. His little brother's life depended on how quickly he could act.

Kimiko hurried into the guest room and threw on clothes. She slung her katana over her shoulder. When she headed down the stairs, her brother was waiting for her by the front door.

Makoto was dressed, ready to go. His normally thin white gloves had been replaced with similarly patterned yet slightly bulkier, padded gauntlets.

Kimiko passed her brother right by and opened the door. Makoto had to run after her to keep up.

"Faster," Kimiko ordered.

"I'm a doctor, not an athlete," Makoto shot back, before sheepishly adding, "Well, not anymore, anyway."

Kimiko ignored the remark, and continued full-speed down the street. By this point, despite her brother's statements to the contrary, the two were running at speeds that would make most Olympic athletes jealous. They were trained, they were prepared, and they were very, very angry.

Nobody would hurt their brother, not after Kori.

 _Nobody._

 _ **-XI-**_

Of all the absurdities in Sora's life, this might have been the oddest. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined Obata Eiji, the deceptive assassin who'd repeatedly denied his friendship, would save his life. Yet, here the ninja was, standing confidently before Sora—a _hero._

"Eiji, you're on _our_ side?" Sora blurted.

"It's a long story. Worry about that later."

The ninja had turned to face the assassins, who had both drawn their weapons. For Arachne, that consisted of her complex spider-legs apparatus. Arthur Cobalt, on the other hand, had a relatively simplistic approach to combat. Razor sharp claws emerged over his nails, complimenting the ones on his shoes.

"The Vongola brat is mine!" Arachne cried out, leaping off two of her mechanical legs toward Sora.

"Like hell!" Katsuro spat.

He shot up over the kiosk and blocked Arachne's strike with his claw hammer. However, as the assassin had multiple legs to strike with, she easily outmaneuvered Katsuro and knocked him away.

Meanwhile, Cobalt had assaulted Eiji with a flurry of strikes. The ninja blocked them all with grace and ease, and even managed to roll in front of Sora to swipe at Arachne, sending her scurrying back.

"Look who's grown a pair," Eiji said, smirking.

"Bastard," Katsuro grunted, standing back up. "Wanna trade off?"

"Tt. We already did," Eiji remarked, throwing one of his scythes at Arachne, who screamed in frustration.

Katsuro wasted no time to attack his new opponent, as he and Cobalt began to take shots at one another. However, Katsuro came across the same problem. Cobalt could attack with any of his four limbs, while the teen's only worthwhile strikes could be made with his hammer. Even though the assassin failed to land any deadly blows, the battle was quickly turning to his favor.

"Are you going to fight, Sora?" Reborn wondered, hopping up onto the blond's shoulder.

Before Sora could respond, Hide said, "Listen, I've got no idea what's going on, but Katsuro and I can handle these jerks. Go find your brother."

"We have a new ally," Reborn noted.

"Even better." Hide smiled reassuringly up at his boss. "Go, Sora."

The Vongola heir struggled to make up his mind as he watched the battles unfold. Eiji seemed like he could handle himself, but Katsuro was clearly losing his fight. Hide was injured. As much as his brother might need him, the odds weren't in his favor. Kori may already be dead, while his friends could still survive.

Sora shook his head. "I can't. You need my help. You're hurt, Hide-kun."

A mischievous glint snuck into the athlete's eyes. "Not anymore."

He removed his hands from his wound, or, rather, what had once been his wound. Leftover blood remained, but the bullet hole itself had healed entirely.

Hide sprung up and over the kiosk with one hand, saying, "Go, Sora! We've got your back!"

Sora froze, looking between his friends. Eiji matched Arachne blow-for-blow, although it appeared as if he couldn't get the advantage. Katsuro was losing alone, but Hide had already run toward the Cheetah, ready to join the fight. Maybe his friends stood a chance. Maybe…

Hide launched foot-first into combat. Cobalt deflected his blow and flipped away, but the teen's intention hadn't been to hurt the assassin, but rather to rescue Katsuro.

"Don't think I owe you anything," Katsuro grunted, wiping blood from his nose, "But thanks."

Hide got into an offensive stance, smiling. "Anytime."

"Enough flirting! Fight!" Eiji called out, lunging at Arachne, who blocked his blow with a mechanical arm. She then proceeded to attack the ninja with her three remaining spider legs, but the boy managed to roll away.

"Bastard—" Katsuro began.

"It isn't like that—" Hide added.

"Stupid children!" Cobalt got down onto all fours, readying to pounce.

Katsuro twirled his hammer and glanced at Hide. The athlete offered him only a slight nudge, staying in position.

"Ready when you are," Hide said.

"You stole my line," Katsuro retorted.

"DIE!" Cobalt roared, springing off his feet.

"Sora, make a move," Reborn stated, as the blond watched his friends fight.

"I can't decide…" Sora mumbled.

"You're the future Vongola boss. Be decisive, or else your subordinates will die," Reborn replied, leaving the boy to scowl, his mind racing.

In Katsuro and Hide's battle, the tables had turned. Hide had reacted immediately to Cobalt's jumping attack. He'd side stepped under the assassin, dodging his claws, and grabbed his waist to throw him into the ground. Katsuro then jumped atop Cobalt and smacked the man with his hammer. Before the Cheetah could move, Hide had pinned him down. Just a fewe more hits, then…

"YEEHAW!"

Katsuro looked up, eyes widening as he registered two new arrivals. Rocketing through the air, a silver armored form crashed against the rambunctious Guardian, sending him flying. Katsuro broke through the unscathed kiosk, and skidded to a halt. As he coughed up blood, the second newcomer similarly tried to knock Hide away with a mid-air tackle. However, the athlete managed to leap away.

"Who the heck…?" Hide muttered.

"Oh my God," Sora whispered.

Eiji flipped away from his battle with Arachne to stand near the others. His opponent did the same, moving beside her fellow assassins. The silver-armored man who'd attacked Katsuro slung Cobalt onto his feet. The Cheetah managed to land on all fours, and then wiped away blood from his lip. The second arrival, a pear-shaped woman in orange armor accented by an enormous shell on her back, yawned.

"We gonna fight, or what?" she wondered.

"Wait. Gotta let fear and awe sink in," the armored man said, crossing his arms. He proudly looked down upon Sora, a metal horn on his helmet glinting in the light. "Kiddies, mah name's Wake Rex, the Rhino."

"This is idiotic and superfluous. We're assassins, dammit," Arachne venomously said.

"It's not like you don't introduce yourself, Spider," Cobalt grumbled. He tapped the armored woman.

She looked at him blankly for a moment, before saying, "…oh! Yeah, guess I should go now. I'm Taidana Anna."

After a moment, Rhino grumbled, "Yer codename…"

Sora glanced at Reborn. "These are assassins?"

The baby shrugged. "It's the culture nowadays."

"Sorry," Anna lied. "I'm Armadillo. Now can we kill them?"

Eiji raised his scythes. Katsuro managed to stand up, hammer in hand, and spit blood onto the ground. Hide switched into a defensive position. Sora looked at Reborn, who continued to stare blankly at the enemies.

"I would," Rhino began. The Vongola boys sweatdropped. The horned assassin continued, "But Snake'll kill me if we don't leave nothin' for her."

"Oh God. She's coming?" Cobalt grumbled.

"Do we attack, or…?" Katsuro wondered.

"Patience. I'm trying to come up with a plan," Eiji replied.

"Yeah? Well, I'm not sure I trust your plans," Katsuro said.

"Unless you wish to die, I suggest you learn to," Eiji shot back.

"Can we kill them now?" Armadillo whined.

"Wait," Arachne hissed.

"Shoot me now," Sora whispered to Reborn.

"Not yet," the hitman replied.

"Then when?" Sora quietly exclaimed.

"I'm tired of waiting," Armadillo said. "Why's it Snake is so slow?"

"I swear, if you complain any more—" Cobalt growled.

"Reborn," Sora insisted.

"Just a bit longer…" Reborn said.

"Boss, any ideas?" Hide asked.

Sora completely turned to his tutor. "Reborn!"

"The Vongola brat is sayin' somethin'—"

"That's it. I'm done waiting," Cobalt grumbled.

"Five. Four," Reborn began. Sora's eyes widened.

"Sora-kun," Katsuro whispered.

"I wish I could say it will be a pleasure to die with you all, but I'd be lying," Eiji muttered.

Simultaneously, Reborn continued his count down, "Three. Two."

"Cheetah, don't—" Arachne said.

"One."

The yellow-clad assassin leaped toward Sora, claws ready to rip his throat out. Suddenly, the doors to the mall shattered as a katana flew through the air, streaking with green flames. The katana met Cobalt mid-air, and blocked his attack before one of the boys could.

On the other side of the mall, up the escalator, a lithe, emerald-patterned woman sailed through the air and landed beside the other Le Bestie assassins. Her long hair, eyes, lips, and nails all dyed the same eerie green, Snake smiled eagerly, revealing teeth chiseled to a point.

"I sssusssspected the battle would be over already, but it lookssss assss if it'sss jussst beginning," she hissed.

As if to prove her point, Kimiko and Makoto ran over the broken glass through the doorway, as the katana flew back into its owner's hand. Additionally, as Sora turned to face his siblings, Reborn had drawn his pistol and fired it. The Vongola heir collapsed to the ground face-first.

"Sora!" Makoto cried out.

Nearly everyone else, including the assassins, looked on in shock. Reborn, however, merely smirked.

"Wake up, Sora. It's time to fight," the hitman calmly stated.

"REBORN!"

Sora burst off the ground, all of his belongings except his boxers and the bag slung over his shoulders disintegrating under him as an enormous orange flame exploded over his forehead.

"I'll save my friends with my Dying Will!" He finished, stepping in front of the others.

"Oh, it's on," Hide noted, grinning.

The assassins got into varying ready positions. Armadillo rolled into a ball, hiding all but her shell. Rhino walked back a few steps, preparing to charge. Snake drew a long rapier adorned with emeralds from her similarly patterned suit. Cheetah leaped to safety and crouched back on all fours. Arachne merely tightened her hands into fists and glared at Kimiko.

The aforementioned Varia assassin stepped up beside her middle brother, who would have charged forward if not for his sister stopping him. Makoto matched her position, and held Sora back, even as the boy struggled against them. The others all began to speak up, before Reborn silenced them.

"It's too late to stop him. Let Sora fight," Reborn said.

The elder siblings looked at one another, unsure of what to do. Kimiko hardened her expression, and then nodded. Makoto relaxed and released his grip on Sora. Kimiko reluctantly did the same. The fiery teen immediately sprinted forward, straight toward Arachne.

"YAAAAAHHHH!" Sora roared.

"What's that weird old saying?" Eiji glanced back before he charged into battle. The others followed suit.

"Battle—start!"

 _ **-XI-**_

 **I'll be the first to admit that this is probably a fluff issue, and not quite as badass or as deserving of a title as cool as "Return of the Reaper" as it should be. However, it needed to happen. The plot needed to progress. This probably could have been a bit neater, spaced out over another chapter or two, but what's the fun of that? Let's get to the serious action now, amirite?**

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: I am Varia**

 **Kimiko- You want to avenge Kori's kidnapping, Sora?**

 **Sora- Yes.**

 **Kimiko- Get in line.**

 **Arachne- I have enough legs to go around.**


	19. I am Varia

**I'm back, b*tches! Sorry for how late this was! The schedule begins again, and the next "break" won't be till after the arc ends.**

 **Check out the new _Reborn! Again_ forum and submit an OC for the Varia XI contest. You could win and see your character fight alongside Sora and his friends! Also, please follow my Tumblr AllStarDrake for updates and an in-depth look at the creation of _Reborn! Again_.**

 **Lastly, please review! I hope I've made it clear how important interaction with my readership is to me! So, please, tell me what you liked, what you didn't like, anything. Thanks!**

 **Sn0wk1tty: I'm glad you caught up! It's great to hear from you again!**

 **MegaJman300: Thanks for the compliments! I hope you can catch up on the title!**

 **valery-chan: I don't think I ever said Eiji wasn't a Guardian, but...well, at least it was a decent plot twist. XD For now, I'll just tell you that Eiji's not Cloud. And don't worry about Sora's weapon. I have something in mind that suits his personality and background.**

 **...**

Reborn! Again

Target 19 – I am Varia

Dying Will Mode allowed Sora to accomplish incredible feats. He could leap higher, run faster, and punch harder than most professional athletes. His inner combatant was awakened, bringing together instinct and years of past (now unwanted) experience. Sora could conquer exhaustion and hunger…that was, until his body could not physically function.

So, despite the DWM's attempt otherwise, Sora could not think straight, and he stumbled as he ran into battle. His first move was to leap toward Arachne and kick her. The assassin's response? To block his blow with one mechanical leg, use another to toss him into the air, and a third to stab him. Thankfully, Kimiko stepped into the fray, blocking Arachne's deadly blow with her katana.

Sliding away due to the force of the assassin's attack, Kimiko shouted back at her brother, "Stay down, Sora! I can take her!"

Sora merely stood up in response, the DWM's tunnel vision clouding out rational thought.

Arachne snorted, "This is the Eleventh's battle prowess?"

Sora grunted. Kimiko held back a sigh. The stress of the situation was bad enough, as was his lack of sleep, food, and hydration, but the fatigue from training topped it all off. Sora was in no shape to take on anyone, let alone Le Bestie.

Sora quite literally leaped into action, jumping atop Kimiko's shoulders and using them to catapult himself at Arachne. The Spider readied two mechanical legs to terminate the Vongola heir. However, Kimiko acted instinctively. She jumped in front of her brother, and deflected both legs with one circling strike. This allowed Sora the opportunity to slug Arachne with considerable force, and roll to safety.

Kimiko attempted to end Arachne by lunging for her chest, but despite the Spider's initial surprise, she managed to hop away. Her cheek already swelling, the assassin stared blankly at the young Vongola heir.

"You…you little prick. You should have died." As her expression darkened, she looked at the eldest Nakamura. "I would have killed him if not for you. You ruined it, like you ruin everything!"

"Melodramatic much?" Kimiko grumbled, stepping into a ready stance. She glanced at her brother. Despite his beliefs otherwise, he had maybe five minutes in Dying Will Mode until he would collapse. She had to end this battle quickly.

"You want to avenge Kori's kidnapping, Sora?" Kimiko asked her brother.

The blond shivered with rage as he glared at Arachne.

"Yes," he growled.

"Get in line. We're doing this together," Kimiko said. Sora nodded back.

"Perfect. I have enough legs to go around," Arachne coolly said, raising her two front mechanical appendages for emphasis.

Kimiko took a deep breath, calming herself, and lifted her sword so it rested just an inch from her face, visually 'cutting' it in two.

"Attacco di Squalo," she whispered.

The three charged.

 _ **-XI-**_

Just half a minute earlier, four separate battles had begun between the other Vongola warriors and their Le Bestie opponents. Katsuro had taken on Rhino, Hide attacked Cheetah, Makoto engaged Armadillo in combat, and Eiji attempted to finish Snake with one blow.

The swordswoman repelled his decapitating swipe with her blade, and then proceeded to block his second strike, ending with a thrust toward his gut. Eiji managed to roll backwards to avoid the attack.

Revolving up onto his feet, the ninja chided, "Your response was half a second too slow. I'll remember that."

"Give me a break, boy. No one could make ussseee of that time," Snake said, holding her rapier out.

Eiji simply smirked, and threw one of his scythes.

Meanwhile, Rhino had just rushed Katsuro and knocked him into a pillar. The teen managed to stand up after stumbling twice. Blood dripped down the back of his head. His vision misted over.

Rhino crossed his arms, eyeing the boy. "I'd offer ya the option of a quick death, but smashing someone's head in ain't fast."

"Wonderful," Katsuro grumbled. Every instinct screamed at him to run away, but he stood his ground. "On that note, I promise this will hurt. A lot."

"C'mon, then." Rhino motioned him onwards, and began to back up in preparation to charge.

Katsuro tightened his grip on his hammer, steadying tremors in his hand, and sprinted forward.

Just a few feet away, Hide and Cobalt exchanged a flurry of fierce blows. Scratches appeared over Hide's body, as bruises began to litter the assassin's. Neither hesitated to continue the attack. It was a battle of stamina. Who would fall first?

Hide's master, Makoto, had moved his battle with Armadillo behind the escalators. At the moment, it had simply become a waiting game. The two had begun by testing the other, allowing Makoto the time to lead Armadillo away. However, neither had truly attempted to incapacitate the other yet.

Makoto yawned. "We doing this or what?"

Armadillo shrugged. "Killing's pretty fun, but I can tell you're tough. Dunno if it's worth it."

"Well, until such a time that it is…" Makoto stretched and sat down cross-legged. "I'm going to chill over here."

"Idiot," Armadillo happily muttered, a newfound excitement burning in her eyes. She leaped into the air, formed into a ball and rolled toward Makoto, quickly picking up speed.

The blond casually eyed her, but did not move.

"Fun…" he grumbled.

 _ **-XI-**_

As it turned out, Sora needn't have attacked Arachne. While he managed to slug the assassin, he ended up getting knocked back to the ground. That wasn't the worst (or best?) part. Kimiko and Arachne clashed sword against mechanical leg. Neither broke…at first.

A shockwave surged up out of Kimiko's katana and into Arachne's spider leg. It sputtered smoke, and then exploded.

Coughing, the assassin growled, "You bitch!"

Kimiko sighed. "That was one of my weaker sword techniques, and now you're down one leg. Imagine how quickly the rest will go, and I won't even have to use my _real_ weapon."

She tapped the pocket of her jacket and arched an eyebrow at Arachne.

For the first time, the assassin seemed to question her choice of combatants. She quivered, and slipped back a step. Arachne could not bring herself to speak.

Sora rose up onto his feet, but held back from running at the assassin after his sister motioned for him to stay in place. He tilted his head questioningly. Kimiko merely shook her head in response.

"Yesterday, I went easy on you. Think about that. Now, lead us to your boss, and I'll allow you to live," Kimiko coolly said.

Arachne gulped. "I—I can't—"

"Suit yourself," Kimiko muttered, getting into an offensive stance.

"—Wait! I will! I'll take you to him!" Arachne blurted.

"She has to pay," Sora demanded.

"Uncontrolled rage is unbefitting of the Vongola boss, Sora," Kimiko replied, before sheathing her sword and addressing Arachne, "Go ahead."

The assassin nodded, turned toward the escalator, and motioned Kimiko forward. The eldest Nakamura glanced at her brother, who remained planted in place. She shook her head, and followed after Arachne, who began to lead her out of the battlefield.

Unbeknownst to Kimiko, the Spider's lips curled up into a sly smile as the Vongola assassin approached her. When she reached striking distance, Arachne suddenly lashed out, attempting to impale Kimiko.

"Kimi—" Sora shouted, instinctively leaping toward his sister.

However, the situation was under control. Kimiko drew her katana quicker than either her brother or Arachne could see, and blocked the Spider's blow.

Her sword holding Arachne's mechanical leg back, Kimiko said, "Bad move."

In one swift motion, Kimiko drew her katana back, ducked under Arachne's leg and circled around, slicing off all of the Spider's remaining artificial limbs. The assassin stumbled to the ground, but managed to remain standing. However, she quickly found she couldn't move, as Kimiko held her blade against her throat.

"My legs…they should have been unbreakable…" Arachne muttered.

Kimiko smirked, and nodded at the subtle green flames flickering across her blade like electricity. "Lightning flames. Hardens and sharpens the blade. Like I said, bad move."

Sora eyed the tense situation, fear creeping into his chest. She wouldn't, would she…?

Arachne creased her brow and glared venomously at Kimiko. "My brothers' suffering will be avenged. I am of the weakest of Le Bestie's ranks. You will know defeat— _eternal_ defeat—when you encounter my boss."

"Rage, eh? That's what drives you. I empathize," Kimiko darkly whispered.

Before his sister could move, Sora cried, "Nee-chan! Stop!"

The eldest Nakamura froze. Arachne shivered in relief. Reborn merely gazed at the situation, detached.

Recognizing the opportunity, Sora calmed himself, allowing his Dying Will Flame to fade away.

"I know what I said earlier, about killing all of Le Bestie to save Kori…but it was just talk. We're better than that. _You_ are better than that. What was it you said? Uncontrolled rage is unbefitting of the Vongola?"

Kimiko's hand slipped as if through water. Arachne fell to the side, her throat slit. Sora looked on in shock, his body going numb.

Her eyes shallow and cold, Kimiko looked back at her brother. "You misquoted me. 'Uncontrolled rage is unbefitting of the Vongola _boss_.' Not me."

She stepped back around to face her brother as blood seeped under her boots. Crimson and green dripped off her blade.

"I am Varia," Kimiko stated, "I am death."

Sora lost control of his legs. Exhaustion finally caught up to him, at last brought on by sheer surprise. He fell down onto his knees. For once, Reborn did not scold him.

Kimiko took a deep breath and began to walk toward her brother, trailing blood behind her. She knew what this meant. She knew the consequences of her actions, but he had to learn someday. If he was to become the Vongola boss, he had to learn about every aspect of the organization and the truth about her.

When Kimiko reached Sora, she extended her hand to him, saying, "Come on. Let's go save Kori."

Sora stared back at her blankly for a moment, before something clicked in him. Quivering, he forced himself up with his hands. Kimiko began to speak, but Sora silenced her.

"Don't! Not after that!" Sora growled.

Kimiko's gaze fell, but she nodded. "Fine. Lead the way, boss."

Sora tightened his hands into fists, and he suddenly turned to Reborn. Pointing at Arachne's corpse, he yelled, "Is that what this is? Are these Vongola's true colors?"

Before Reborn could reply, Sora faced his sister. "You murdered a woman! You had her beat! The battle was won, and you crossed the line!"

"The Varia is merely one aspect of the Vongola Famiglia," Kimiko tried to explain, but Sora would have none of it.

"Fuck the Varia! Fuck this!" He looked down at himself, half-naked and shaking in anger. "I refuse to believe this insane Vongola bullshit is the only option! There has to be a better way!"

"Hmph. Stupid Sora," Reborn whispered.

Sora glared at the hitman, "What the hell—"

Reborn slapped him into silence, Leon's cocoon shifting from the force of the blow. Sora looked away, but otherwise remained still, as his cheek reddened.

"If you hate the Vongola so much, then change it. Take control of your destiny, and the destiny of the family," Reborn snapped.

Sora stopped shaking. Slowly, he turned his head to look at Reborn. Tears slipping down his cheeks, the young Vongola heir gazed back defiantly.

"I have to save Kori," Sora declared.

Reborn sighed and looked away, "Stupid Sora…"

The blond faced his sister, who had until this point been unable to meet her brother's eyes. "You're coming with me, but no more killing! That's an order!"

Kimiko frowned, confused. "Only the Vongola boss can—"

"That's an order!" Sora repeated.

Reborn's eyes shot up to the boy. Kimiko looked at her little brother in surprise, and she nodded.

"Yes, sir."

"Good." Sora swiveled around to glance at each battle, his expression darkening. "I have to believe the others can take care of themselves, so until we save Kori…"

"GOOD LUCK!" Sora shouted, arms out, surprising the Vongola fighters and their opponents. Kimiko smiled tiredly, but did not speak. Reborn merely smirked.

"Now," Sora began, dropping the bag, "I'll get dressed. After that— _we save Kori_."

After the deed was done, and Sora was ready and clothed in new jeans, shoes, and a hoodie, the trio set off up the escalator from whence the assassins came. Before they could reach it, however, they had to cross Arachne's body and the puddle of blood that had formed underneath it. While Sora stepped over the puddle, Kimiko and Reborn treaded through it. No one spoke as they edged up into the darkness.

 _ **-XI-**_

"Boss," the remaining female assassin began, her face illuminated by a tablet, revealing pale complexion and yellow eyes. "Arachne's legs have been dismantled. We can only assume the worst."

The shadowed leader of Le Bestie smirked, while Kori attempted to smile cheerfully through his gag.

"Wonderful. One down; let's see how many more the Vongola can beat…" he cooed.

"Sir," the shadowed woman ignored her boss' apparent joy in their comrades' defeat. "I have footage from Rhino's body camera. The Vongola's Prodigies have arrived. I have reason to believe the Bolt was the one who defeated Arachne. She's on her way here."

"Even better. If nothing else, she'll keep things interesting," the boss replied. He ruffled Kori's hair. "Isn't that right, Kori? Your sister's a tough one."

Kori grunted defiantly.

"Boss…" Bat began.

"Yes, of course. We wouldn't want it to get _too_ interesting." He didn't sound like he believed what he was saying. "Go, Bat, Leach. Kill her."

A wicked grin ghosted over Bat's lips. "Finally. You haven't let us out since we killed the first Vongola brat."

"We'll show her what Le Bestie truly has to offer," Leach said, setting down the tablet on a table beside her.

After the two had left, Le Bestie's jolly leader strolled over to the doorway and slid his hand up the wall till he found what he was looking for: a light switch.

"Now that bloody Bat is gone, we can finally look each other in the eyes, Kori, sweetie," he hummed. "As they say…"

"Let there be light!"

 _Flick._

 _ **-XI-**_

 **Booyah! So much has gone down already, and this arc is far from finished! Good or bad, the next few issues will focus on the others' fights. First up—Hide and the Cheetah!**

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: Survival of the Fittest**

 **Cobalt- You know how to take a beating.**

 **Hide- Comes with the territory.**

 **Makoto- Your body is a temple. Remember that. It will keep you alive.**

 **Hide- Makoto-sensei, when it comes down to it, what should I choose: victory or self-preservation?**

 **Cobalt- This has been fun, but it's time to die, gazelle!**


	20. Survival of the Fittest

**Wow! With this, we've reached the twentieth issue! Seriously, that's awesome! Thanks, guys, for sticking around and enjoying the title!**

 **Please review, and check out the Reborn! Again forum! Submit an OC for the Varia contest, and you could see your creation appear alongside the Eleventh Generation Vongola.**

 **valery-chan: I haven't yet revealed who Le Bestie have killed. I will say that it's another person who could have become the eleventh Vongola boss. Sora, like Tsuna, isn't the only one considered for boss. And no, it's not another Nakamura. The email issue is odd. I'm having that problem with your reviews. They won't show up. Anyway, thanks for reviewing! You rock! :D**

 **...**

Reborn! Again

Target 20 – Survival of the Fittest

Hide and Cobalt moved like tornados, quickly and destructively. They clashed, punching and kicking, scratching and biting. Bruises formed. Blood was drawn. Neither slowed down or hesitated.

Hide landed a powerful blow to Cobalt's nose, splattering blood over his white glove. The Cheetah tore through the Guardian's tank top, causing blood to color it crimson. At last, the two separated, jumping away for a temporary ceasefire.

"You know how to take a beating," Cobalt teased, wiping blood from his nose.

"Comes with the territory," Hide retorted.

They began to circle one another. To Hide they were like boxers in a ring. To Cobalt they were alpha predators, ready to fight over food. However, he could not let the boy know he considered him an equal.

His eyes practically glowing with bloodlust, Cobalt said, "You're fast, gazelle, but I'm faster. You can take a punch, but I can withstand more. I've been fighting for survival my entire life. You, on the other hand, have lived a life of luxury. I am the predator; you are my prey."

"You know nothing about me," Hide spat.

"I know enough. I know who your father is, and after we're done here, I'll make sure to pay him a visit," Cobalt coolly said.

"You son of a—"

Hide took a deep breath. He may not have been the sharpest tool in the shed, but he knew when an opponent was trying to egg him on. It didn't matter what Cobalt said; he had to remain calm. After all, this was a battle he would only win if he fought smart.

Frustrated that his plot hadn't worked, Cobalt growled and began to creep toward Hide. This didn't go unnoticed, and the boy got into a ready stance.

Slipping onto all fours, Cobalt whispered, "Primal Hurricane."

He leaped off his feet and spun in a circle, soaring toward Hide. The athlete tried to dodge the blow, but Cobalt used his momentum to redirect off the ground toward him. His claws dug into Hide's shoulders, causing the boy to cry out in pain, even as he managed to slug Cheetah in the chest.

"GAH!" Hide pulled away, and hopped back to safety.

Blood seeped out of the open wounds down Hide's arms. He tried to lift them, but an intense wave of pain forced him to stop.

"You're halfway dead now, gazelle. Try fighting without your arms," Cobalt jeered, licking his lips.

Hide looked up at the assassin, and managed to smirk. "I know mixed martial arts, genius. I'll just kick the crap out of you."

In truth, he knew that wouldn't be enough. He would have to land an incredibly powerful blow to the right spot to even have a chance of knocking Cobalt out, but the only way that would happen was if the assassin gave him an opening, which he hadn't done once so far. Minor hits meant nothing, no matter how many he landed, particularly since he was now on the clock. It wouldn't be long till he lost so much blood he fainted.

' _Makoto-sensei was right. I can't just throw my body at him. I have to fight smart. I can do this. Just think, Hideaki, think! Remember…'_

Hide closed his eyes. Cobalt smirked, revealing his incisors, and got onto all fours.

"Primal Hurricane!"

' _Remember what Makoto-sensei taught you.'_

 _ **-XI-**_

 _Makoto slugged Hide, sending him crashing to the ground. The dark-haired boy tried to rise, but recoiled in pain. Grasping his leg, Hide looked up at his mentor._

" _My leg feels like it's on fire," Hide grumbled._

" _It's healed, I promise you that, but like with any serious injury you have to rehab it. It just so happens that we don't have time for traditional physical therapy. Training will do the job," Makoto noted, collapsing onto his behind._

" _It won't tear?" Hide wondered._

" _Do you trust me?" Makoto asked._

 _The boy nodded. Makoto smiled and then subsequently began to stretch._

" _I promise I won't push you to the point that you reinjure yourself. The muscle fibers my Sun Flame helped to recreate will hold up. Even still, this should be an important lesson for you," Makoto said._

 _Hide cocked his head, confused. "Sensei…?"_

" _We've talked about this before. You're noble, but reckless," Makoto began._

" _Brave, but stupid," Hide finished._

 _Makoto nodded, all of a sudden quite serious. "You sacrificed your leg, instead of fighting smart. Now, you quite literally throw yourself at me, leaving a number of openings for me to exploit. Oftentimes in battle one of the fighters will grow impatient or angry, or just act plain stupid. That person almost always loses. You, consistently, are that person."_

" _I admire your selflessness, but as an athlete you should know better than to risk destroying your body for a win. You have the rest of the season to worry about."_

" _Makoto-sensei—"_

" _Your body is a temple. Remember that. It will keep you alive," Makoto concluded, standing up. He waved Hide on._

 _The teen took a moment to think, before forcing himself up onto his feet. The effort it took caused pain to course throughout his body. His leg was sore, yes, but he'd fought Makoto for hours on end. Every inch of him hurt._

" _Makoto-sensei, I'm not sure I'm fit to fight," Hide admitted, blushing._

 _A proud grin flicked over Makoto's lips. "Well done. That was a test. You passed."_

 _Hide looked up, eyes bright with relief, "Really?"_

" _Yes. Sometimes combat isn't the answer. Sometimes you have to run away to live to fight another day," Makoto explained. He wrapped his arm around Hide, and helped him down to the ground._

" _Now, just rest for a bit, and then we'll get you home," Makoto said, lying down across from the teen._

 _Hide collapsed onto his back, and gazed up at the sky. At that precise moment, a cloud blotted out the sun's light, enveloping the two in shade._

" _Makoto-sensei, when it comes down to it, what should I choose: victory or self-preservation?" Hide wondered._

 _Makoto remained still for a few moments. Eventually, he said, "It depends. Is your victory necessary for the betterment of the Family? Or are you just being proud? Sometimes, no matter how important it seems, a battle must be lost. Your life is most likely more important in the long term than any single victory."_

 _Silence. His mentor's words settled over Hide. However, Makoto was not yet finished._

" _But none of that matters. Not for you, Hide-kun. You can beat anything Le Bestie throws at you."_

 _Hide's mouth slipped open, as if he wanted to speak, but he remained quiet._

 _Makoto continued, "While you may not be faster or stronger than your adversary, I promise you that if you fight smart and let the proper instincts take over, you will not lose. You're a natural. Just remember what I told you. Don't throw your body at them. Be patient and wait for the right time to strike."_

" _You've seen me fight. Over the next week, you'll begin to memorize every move I make. You'll absorb my style. Take advantage of that. Avoid their attacks. When the opportunity presents itself…"_

 _ **-XI-**_

' _Hit them with everything you've got!'_ Hide finished the thought.

The Vongola Guardian slipped to the right at the last second, narrowly avoiding Cobalt's attack. The Cheetah tried to rebound off the ground to strike him, but Hide had already slunk back out of reach. Cobalt slid around on all fours and grimaced.

"Nice move, but I won't miss again," Cobalt growled.

Hide smirked.

Rage bubbled up in the assassin's chest. "Don't you dare laugh at me!"

Cobalt pounced, but yet again Hide avoided his blow. The teen ducked under his attacker, and analyzed him for an opening. However, the Cheetah was quick to react and prepared for any counter blow by rolling into a ball. So, instead, Hide flipped back to safety again.

' _What the hell is going on? He's like a completely different person,'_ Cobalt thought, _'He isn't any faster, but his movements are more precise. He hasn't tried to attack me once. What the hell happened to the reckless martial artist?!'_

Cobalt calmed himself, and approached Hide more cautiously. He tried a few swipes, jabs, and kicks. No luck. The teen casually avoided each, never breaking eye contact. Still, Cobalt knew this was a battle he would win in the long run. Blood gently seeped from Hide's shoulder wounds down his arms like faucets. He wouldn't last much longer.

Cobalt flipped back and landed on all fours. He grinned up at the Vongola Guardian. "I don't know what the hell I was thinking! I just have to wait you out. When you faint, you'll be mine, gazelle!"

Hide frowned. The assassin was right. His vision had already begun to mist over.

Suddenly, an idea popped into Hide's mind. Why hadn't he thought of it before? It was so obvious.

"Not even gonna play with your food, kitty cat?" Hide jeered.

Cobalt tilted his head ever slightly. "Oh, why not? I suppose it wouldn't do any harm."

He ran toward Hide at incredible speeds, forcing the boy to jump away in advance. However, that gave the assassin the opportunity to shift mid-attack, and slice across the Guardian's chest. Hide bit his lip, drawing blood, and rolled away.

"You wanted to play, didn't you? What are you doing? This is no fun! You're going to die before we can really get started!" Cobalt playfully whined. _'He's slowing down!'_

"Come here, kitty kitty kitty. I've got a treat for you," Hide called.

Cobalt growled, and sprinted toward him. The teen managed to avoid the attack this time, and make it safely away.

"What? Too slow? Cheetah my ass," Hide remarked.

"How dare you?!" Cobalt roared, charging again.

Yet again, Hide dodged the blow.

"Come on, kitty cat. Show me your claws, or are you too much of a—"

"BASTARD!"

Cobalt leaped toward Hide. The boy tried to flip over him, but the assassin turned in mid-air and clawed his upper body. Hide hurried back, but the damage had been dealt.

"Crap…" Hide whispered, and promptly collapsed onto his back, closing his eyes.

"Heh. HehehehahaHAHA!" Cobalt laughed, slipping back onto all fours. He trotted around Hide's fallen form, saying, "Ooh, delish! You tried, but you never stood a chance. Ha!"

Cobalt stopped, and slunk back so his weight was on his legs. He licked his lips. "This has been fun, but it's time to die, gazelle!"

He pounced on Hide, flailing his claws out wide. Suddenly, the boy's brown eyes shot open, surprising Cheetah. Hide screamed in pain as he propelled himself off the ground with his arms. Cobalt tried to react, swiping down at Hide, but the boy's ploy had worked. The assassin had left an opening, and could do nothing to stop Hide from kicking his arms apart.

Hide proceeded to swivel around and land a powerful roundhouse kick across Cobalt's face. Then, before either could fall out of the air, Hide wrapped his legs around the assassin's neck, and slammed his head down into the ground.

The teen managed to roll back, before subsequently falling on his behind. Cobalt merely collapsed onto his back, unconscious, blood gushing from his head wound.

"Whoo boy," Hide whispered. "See that, Makoto-sensei? I did both. I fought smart, and…"

Hide's eyes began to roll back into his head. "…and I threw my body at him. Heh."

With those last words, the Sun Guardian fainted.

 _ **-XI-**_

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: Baptized in Blood**

 **Rhino- Boss ranks me as our fifth best fighter. It sure is somethin' that you've lasted this long.**

 **Katsuro- You ain't seen nothing yet.**

 **Katsuro- What the hell am I supposed to do when I'm fighting someone who's bigger, stronger, faster, and more experienced than I am?!**

 **Hikari- You fight your fear with anger! You risk everything for the Eleventh!**

 **Katsuro- You ready? 'Cause I'm about to bite you to death.**


	21. Baptized in Blood

**The battles continue...Please review! XD**

 **valery-chan: CAPITAL LETTERS ARE ALWAYS GOOD! I LOVE ENTHUSIASM! :)**

 **saraj8ne: It's great to hear from you again! Thanks for reviewing.**

 **...**

Reborn! Again

Target 21 – Baptized in Blood

"GOOD LUCK!"

Both Katsuro and his opponent, Wake Rex the Rhino, were caught off guard by the sudden outburst. Sora briefly made eye contact with Katsuro. Rhino, on the other hand, had nothing else to distract him. He smacked Katsuro away, sending him skidding across the ground.

The Storm Guardian managed to roll to a stop, and looked up, blood blinding him. He rubbed it away, and matted his bangs back so he could see clearly.

Katsuro bellowed, "Bastard! That was a cheap shot!"

"I'm an assassin, dumbass," Rhino retorted. "Besides, it's not like ya've landed a decent blow. It don't matter how I beat ya, 'cause yer gonna lose no matter what."

Katsuro grit his teeth in frustration. Rhino was right. He had only managed to strike his opponent twice, and both times his hammer had merely deflected off the assassin's armor.

"RRRAAHHH!"

Katsuro let loose a battle cry, and sprinted forward. His feet pounding against the tile floor, he raised his hammer to the sky, as if to summon a storm. Rhino simply widened his stance in response, and prepared to catch the boy.

As it turned out, that was exactly what happened. When Katsuro neared him, Rhino latched onto his arms and began to spin in a circle. After gaining the proper momentum, he tossed Katsuro into a wall. The boy coughed out blood as he fell to the ground.

Struggling to stand, Katsuro whispered, "I..can do this...for Sora. For my pride!"

Katsuro rested his hands on his knees and wheezed. He managed to get back up after all. It had seemed impossible, but he'd done it. While Katsuro had never been dealt worse blows, he'd long since learned how to handle pain. Even still…

Katsuro looked Rhino in the eyes. Killing intent practically leaked from his every pore. The teen shivered as fear crept up his chest and into his throat like a virus. Suddenly, the confidence he had mustered faded.

Rhino began to back up, preparing to charge. Katsuro grimaced and had to look away from the man's eyes. He tried to take a deep breath, but the reality of his situation began to settle over him. He had no way of beating Rhino. The man outclassed him at every turn, and there wasn't a kink in his armor. At least, there wasn't one that Katsuro could safely discover and exploit.

Rhino charged. Katsuro froze in place, terrified. At the last moment, survival instincts kicked in and he leaped away. Instead of landing gracefully, he slipped onto his knees, and lost his hammer in the fall.

"Shit," he muttered.

Before he could grab it, Rhino stampeded toward him again. Katsuro scrambled away, barely avoiding the assassin.

"What the hell happened, boy? Yer grapes turn to raisins?" Rhino jeered.

"Sh-shut up!" Katsuro cried.

"Y'know, I gotta give you some credit. Boss ranks me as our fifth best fighter. It sure is somethin' that you've lasted this long without breaking down like a baby," Rhino said.

"Y-you ain't seen nothing yet," Katsuro stammered.

"Uh huh." Rhino shrugged. "Stop playin' tough. Yer shiverin' like yer freezin'."

' _Stop playing tough? How? It's all I have left,'_ Katsuro thought, _'How the hell am I supposed to win? I'm gonna die. Even worse, I'm gonna die like I lived, with my tail tucked between my legs…'_

 _ **-XI-**_

" _Really? You're gonna run with your tail tucked between your legs—_ again _? Pathetic," Hikari shouted after Katsuro, who had begun to limp away from her._

" _You're killing me!" Katsuro yelled back, before spitting out blood._

 _He had certainly seen better days. From head to toe, he was covered in battle wounds. Blood had seeped into his jacket and jeans. That would be tough to explain to his father. As if the man didn't have enough to worry about…_

 _Hikari sighed and threw a baton at Katsuro. It bounced off his head, causing blood to spurt out of an old wound, and flipped back to where Hikari could catch it._

" _Ow!" Katsuro collapsed. He looked back at the girl. "See! I'm gonna die at this rate!"_

" _Stop being such a fucking baby. You're fine," Hikari chided, casually approaching him._

" _I'm bleeding in more places than I'm not," Katsuro grumbled._

" _It just looks like a lot of blood," Hikari said, "If you're still able to whine, then you're still able to fight. Now stand up."_

" _Screw that! You've beaten the hell out of me for two days now! Nothing's changed!" Katsuro objected._

" _We've gone over this already. You are improving. You're getting tougher, stronger, and smarter," Hikari argued._

" _Yeah? If I'm so strong, then why haven't I landed a decent blow yet?" Katsuro retorted._

" _Because you're outmatched—" Hikari began, before Katsuro interrupted her._

" _That's what I've been saying this entire time! And the same thing will happen when we try to take on Le Bestie. What the hell am I supposed to do when I'm fighting someone who's bigger, stronger, faster, and more experienced than I am?!"_

" _You fight your fear with anger! You don't give up! You risk everything for the Eleventh! That's your job! That's why you're a Guardian!" Hikari said._

" _Even if it means I die?"_

" _YES!"_

 _Silence fell over the two, as Katsuro struggled with what had been said. He knew his cowardice was weakness. He knew it was wrong. But his dad needed him. If something went wrong, if he died, what would his father do? After mending their relationship, would he be able to go on living?_

 _But Sora…_

" _A Guardian has to be willing to die for his boss. More than that, he has to want to. He must desire his boss', his_ friend's _safety above all else, because he cares, and because he knows it's for the greater good. A Guardian cannot be a coward," Hikari coolly remarked._

 _Katsuro tightened his grip on his hammer to the point that he began to tear through his skin._

"... _Sora is my best friend. I vowed that I would do anything for him. I told him I would protect him at any cost." Katsuro looked up, tears streaming from his eyes. "But what happens to my father if I die?!"_

 _Hikari was caught off guard by the sudden display of emotion, but she quickly recovered, saying, "Nothing, because you can trust in your Family to care for him."_

 _Something broke in Katsuro's eyes. He nodded, and looked at the ground._

 _After a few moments, he asked, "How do I protect Sora? How do I beat an unstoppable opponent?"_

 _A smirk caught somewhere between pride and amusement ghosted over Hikari's lips._

 _She said, "Haven't you been listening? You risk everything for him. You sacrifice yourself for a winning blow."_

 _Hikari reached down and dabbed her thumb in the blood leaking from the back of Katsuro's head. She slowly traced a line across his forehead._

 _As she finished, Hikari said, "Through your sacrifice, you will be baptized in blood, and emerge a changed man—at last, the Vongola's Storm Guardian."_

 _Katsuro looked up at her, his tears gone. Somehow, someway he knew that when the day came, he would win. In his victory, he would be reborn, bloody and proud._

 _ **-XI-**_

"—ya hear me, boy? Yer gonna die!" Rhino called.

Katsuro shook his head, breaking out of his fugue state. He looked up from the ground, a newfound ferocity in his eyes.

"You ready? 'Cause I'm about to bite you to death," Katsuro declared.

Rhino snorted, amused. "Friggin' teenagers. You change emotions like you change clothes."

Katsuro merely smirked, and charged Rhino. The assassin mirrored the movement. Just before the two would have clashed, Katsuro rolled to the side, and came up holding his hammer.

"Ya wanted yer weapon, eh? That's forgivable, I suppose," Rhino noticed, turning around to face Katsuro.

The armored assassin prepared to charge yet again. Katsuro planted his feet in the ground, and held his hammer out to his opponent.

"Three blows. That's all it'll take to bring you down," Katsuro stated.

"Yeah? Well, you're going down in one!" Rhino shouted, stampeding forward.

As the rampaging Rhino neared him, Katsuro calmed himself with a single deep breath. He readied his hammer and met the assassin's gaze.

 _SHNK!_

Rhino impaled Katsuro on the end of his horn, and immediately cheered in glee. However, the battle was not yet over.

"Got ya," Katsuro sputtered, noticing a chink in his armor. Below his head, at the top of his neck, there was an opening.

Katsuro swung down with all his might. Rhino roared in pain, as blood burst from the wound.

"Son of a bitch!" Rhino cried.

He tried to buck Katsuro off of him, but the boy held on with a death grip. Another hammer blow was dealt. Rhino fell onto one knee. He reached back for the boy, and began to tug him off. Knowing he only had one shot left, Katsuro put both hands on his hammer and raised it.

"I AM NOT AFRAID!" Katsuro shouted, bringing his hammer down.

 _CRACK!_

Rhino collapsed, while Katsuro tumbled to the ground. The boy coughed up blood, and tilted his head to spit it out. He looked back at the assassin, who did not stir. Relief washed over him like a gentle wave.

"I…am not afraid," Katsuro whispered, before falling unconscious.

 _ **-XI-**_

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: Golden Trident**

 **Armadillo- This is no fun! You won't die!**

 **Makoto- That's sort of the idea.**

 **Armadillo- SO! BORING!**

 **Makoto- You…just made…a huge mistake. When I get mad…I get absolutely murderous!**


	22. The Doctor

**I am so sorry for how late this is! Been dealing with a lot of graduation BS, moving my brother across the country, etc. AKA life has been cray-cray. Anyway, we're going back to a bi-weekly schedule. Thanks for your patience!**

 **Oh, and there's been a name change for this chapter. Hope you like it!**

 **Saraj8ne: I'm glad you're getting attached to the supporting characters. It was definitely one of my goals with this story to make each supporting character as interesting and three-dimensional as Sora and Reborn.**

 **Valery-chan: I guess Katsuro's hammer is a "regular" hammer. It's a claw hammer, which means it has a little claw on the end of the actual hammer. It's kind of the traditional hammer, I think. Definitely not Thor's hammer, though. Also, you actually get a bit more insight into Kimiko this issue.**

 **SuperCherryGurl: Thanks for reviewing! So you liked Hikari and Katsuro's scene, huh? There's more where that came from (but not in this arc)! :)**

 **…**

Reborn! Again

Target 22 – The Doctor

 **Previously on Reborn! Again…**

 _Makoto had moved his battle with Armadillo behind the escalators. At the moment, it had simply become a waiting game. The two had begun by testing the other, allowing Makoto the time to lead Armadillo away. However, neither had truly attempted to incapacitate the other yet._

 _Makoto yawned. "We doing this or what?"_

 _Armadillo shrugged. "Killing's pretty fun, but I can tell you're tough. Dunno if it's worth it."_

 _"Well, until such a time that it is…" Makoto stretched and sat down cross-legged. "I'm going to chill over here."_

 _"Idiot," Armadillo happily muttered, a newfound excitement burning in her eyes. She leaped into the air, formed into a ball and rolled toward Makoto, quickly picking up speed._

 _The blond casually eyed her, but did not move._

 _"Fun…" he grumbled._

 ** _-XI-_**

"Hup," Makoto grunted, as he casually pushed off the ground with his right hand, flipping over his incoming attacker.

With a simple flick of his wrist, Makoto spun around, and kicked Armadillo against a pillar. Sighing, he sat back down.

His opponent took a similar stance. After crashing into the pillar, Armadillo rolled over onto her back and lay there. She huffed, annoyed, and then with a sudden breath sat up.

"'s no fun getting kicked," the assassin whined.

Makoto cocked an eyebrow. "You're an assassin…?"

"And you're a mobster!" Armadillo shot back.

Makoto shook his head, chuckling. "I'm a doctor, actually."

Armadillo looked incredulously at the man. "Liar."

Makoto shrugged, which further aggravated the armored assassin. She curled up into a ball and with her abdominal muscles launched herself forward.

"LIAR!"

Yet again, Makoto dodged her strike by flipping up with his right hand. This time, however, the assassin was prepared. Before Makoto could kick her away, she broke her form and reached back at him in an attempt to grab his foot. In response, he merely flicked open her hand with his other foot, and then rolled back.

Armadillo rolled around and stopped, her eyes alight with anger. "This is no fun! You won't die!"

Makoto rolled his eyes. "That's sort of the idea."

"GRAHHH! SO! BORING!" Armadillo shouted, charging him again.

Makoto batted away a yawn, before he jumped over Armadillo yet again. This time, mid-flip, he used his right hand to nudge the assassin, sending her completely off course. She head-butted a pillar before coming to a stop.

"Owwie!" she moaned, rubbing her head.

"I'll give you a few. Rest up," Makoto said, collapsing onto his rear.

"Rrgh!" The assassin growled. "How can you be so calm?! Your friends could be dead, and—and—and I'm gonna kill you!"

Makoto shot her an incredulous, jeering glance, and then lay down, using his hands as a pillow. "Let me tell you how this is gonna go. My friends will win each of their battles. In retaliation, your boss will send whoever's left to 'finish us off.' My sister will crush them like flies. Sora—that's my brother; the future Vongola boss—well, he'll find your boss, and, with or without my sister's help, he'll kick his ass."

"And the pink-haired kid? My boss has probably already killed him!" Armadillo threatened.

Makoto's eyes darkened. "If that's true, and your boss has killed my brother, then he's signed his own death sentence. _Any_ chance that _any_ of you had of coming out of this alive has disappeared like your remains after the Vongola Family is done with you."

Suddenly, he rolled over onto his side, and smiled, his tone bubbly, "Of course, I'm sure my baby bro's fine! I mean, killing him would have to be the dumbest move your boss could make! Hahaha!"

Armadillo finally exhaled, and grabbed her left arm to keep it from shaking. This man…he couldn't be a doctor? Surely, he's a member of the Varia…or even a Guardian! Maybe he was a Guardian. But a doctor? No…with that shadow in his eyes…this man was a killer.

"GOOD LUCK!"

Both pairs of eyes averted to the sudden exclamation. Makoto couldn't see his brother from his position behind the escalator, but at least he could tell that he was all right. Everything was going to work out.

Meanwhile, Armadillo had a realization of her own. With Makoto distracted by his brother, this was the perfect time to strike! No sloth, no hesitation, she'd put everything she had into this blow!

Grinning, Armadillo leaped off the ground, rolled into her impenetrable ball form, and stormed toward Makoto. The young man noticed the attack, but not before Armadillo was within striking distance. Even though he managed to flip away with both arms, Armadillo was close enough that she managed to tag his right arm. His sleeve was shredded as a resounding crack echoed over the immediate area.

"GAH!" Makoto screamed, clutching his injured arm.

Armadillo temporarily slipped out of her ball form to say, "Hahah! How ya feeling now, ya jerk?"

She zoomed toward him again. However, this time it went differently. Makoto looked up, his eyes blank with rage. He extended his uninjured left hand, palm out. Armadillo smacked right into it, and continued to roll at extreme speeds. Even still, Makoto did not move. In fact, both he and his padded glove remained unharmed. Armadillo, on the other hand, began to slow down, until she had to stop entirely.

Before she could fall to the ground, Makoto grabbed her by her collar and held her high with his left hand. Finally noticing the primal look in his eyes, Armadillo felt fear sink into her gut.

"H-how?!" she screamed.

The answer came in the form of a monstrous yellow flame bursting from a ring that dangled from his neck. The same glow lit his glove.

"You…" the doctor stammered out, trying to stave off the red overcoming his vision, "…just made…a huge mistake. When I get mad…I get absolutely _murderous_!"

Upon that last word, Makoto threw her into the ground, cracking open the tile floor and sending out a shockwave.

"Y—you," Armadillo coughed up blood, "are no doctor. _What are you?"_

 ** _-XI-_**

 _"Gotcha! You're it!" an eight-year-old Kimiko exclaimed, tagging another boy in the park._

 _Immediately, she and the other children scattered, laughing as they escaped from the boy who was now 'it.' Elsewhere, beneath a tree, Makoto was reading a book. However, his peace wouldn't last long. The nearby sound of leaves crumpling under a shoe caught his attention._

 _"Hey, whatcha reading?" asked an older boy, who took the book from his hand._

 _"Stop it," Makoto said, rising up off the ground. He stood half a head shorter than the other boy and his two compatriots._

 _"C'mon, we're just having a little fun. Don't you know what fun is, nerd?" the boy teased, tossing the book to his friend, who laughed._

 _"It isn't a book," the other boy said._

 _"Nice one," the boy holding the book high-fived his friend._

 _"That didn't even make sense!" Makoto shouted._

 _The three boys glared at him. The leader cracked his knuckles._

 _"You getting smart with us, nerd?"_

 _"Um…no?" Makoto tried, quivering as he backed up._

 _By this point, Kimiko had noticed her brother's dilemma. She told the others she was taking a break and ran toward Makoto._

 _"Hey. HEY! What are you doing?" Kimiko said, stopping in front of her brother. She extended her arms protectively between her brother and the bullies._

 _"Your brother's got a smart mouth," the lead growled, still inching forward._

 _"I just told them how stupid they are," Makoto bemoaned._

 _Kimiko sighed and said, "Back off."_

 _"Like I'm scared of some girl," the leader said._

 _He threw Kimiko to the side, and left his friends to pin her to the ground. She struggled against them, but she couldn't beat two at once._

 _"Let my sister go!" Makoto demanded._

 _"Make me, pipsqueak," the leader said, before rearing his arm back and slugging Makoto._

 _Suddenly, the boy's vision went red. When he next came to, the bullies lay on the ground around him, their faces bloody and mashed. His hands were torn, covered in the same warm liquid. His mouth tasted of iron. The cries of parents—his and others—drew his attention, before he noticed his sister._

 _Kimiko sat on the ground, staring up at him, eyes wide with shock._

 _"Makoto…what…what did you do?"_

 _The boy began to cry, and couldn't stop._

 ** _-XI-_**

 _"Your son suffers from a rare psychological disorder," the doctor sheepishly explained._

 _Inside a locked room, Nakamura Gorou and Suzume carefully absorbed every word the man said, their five-year-old son sitting on his mother's lap. The boy was tearing through a health magazine while the adults spoke. They thought he was ignoring them, that he couldn't understand what the doctor was talking about. Both were false assumptions._

 _"It's called brief hyper-psychosis. Stress of any kind can trigger a temporary psychotic episode in the patient—in this case, your son. What you saw in the park earlier today was a manifestation of BHP," the doctor finished._

 _"That—that doesn't make any sense," Gorou, a short, albeit stocky blond man, managed, "I'm a doctor, too, and from what I know the first signs of BHP don't appear until early adolescence. There must be a mistake."_

 _"Feel free to get another opinion," the doctor said without spite, "But there have been cases where BHP presented itself earlier in a child's life. It usually accompanied a stressful experience, mind you, like a family member's passing. Has anything happened recently that might—"_

 _"No," Suzume interrupted. She looked down at her child for a moment, before continuing, "Please, is there anything we can do?"_

 _The doctor nodded, "He'll need to see a therapist, of course, to work on controlling his anger, and there are a few drugs we can try that might mellow him out. However, I have to be honest, while BHP is treatable, no patient has ever been cured of it. A trigger of any kind—violence, the death of a family member, as I mentioned earlier—could cause him to experience an episode."_

 _The two young parents looked at one another. Gorou reached for his wife's hand; she took it._

 _"Thank you." Gorou bowed to the man._

 _The doctor nodded, saying, "For your sake, I hope you never have to see me again."_

 _Makoto silently agreed. As his parents shook the doctor's hand, he looked down at his hands. They trembled for a moment, before coming to a stop._

 _Never again._

 ** _-XI-_**

 _"We could use you in the Varia, Makoto," Kimiko implored, sitting across from her brother on the balcony._

 _Both had yet to reach maturity. Kimiko had just dyed her hair for the first time, and still carried herself casually. She leaned back in her seat and rested her feet on the balcony rail. Makoto, meanwhile, slouched in his seat, unable to tear his eyes off the first glimpses of the sunrise in the distance. The young man's shaggy hair reached down to his shoulders; it fluttered in the gentle breeze._

 _Makoto shook his head. "No. Kimi-chan, you know I'm not fit for your… line of work."_

 _"With your condition, you'd be right at home," Kimiko pushed._

 _"C'mon now. Don't be a dick about it," Makoto playfully replied. "I've gotten pretty damn good at keeping myself in check. I don't want to blow that on some stupid mafia job."_

 _"I get it. You think the mellow stoner approach is enough for you, but the life of a medic is not without stress. What will happen if you have an episode while you're performing surgery? Or setting a dislocated bone?" Kimiko asked._

 _Makoto looked over at his sister, "I'll be fine, nee-chan."_

 _Yawning, he stretched and threw his feet up beside his sister's._

 _"Besides, going to med school like Dad, getting to work support in the Family, it'll be a dream come true. You know I've always been one for the easy life."_

 _Kimiko slugged her brother in the shoulder, "A doctor's life isn't easy, idiot!"_

 _Makoto chuckled, massaging his arm. "Do I know how to push your buttons, or what?"_

 _Kimiko's expression softened. She leaned back, and looked at the rising sun._

 _"Whatever you do…be careful," she said._

 _Makoto's smile faded as he lied, "Always."_

 ** _-XI-_**

A healing glow surged throughout Makoto's body, and within seconds his right arm had recovered. He used it to hold Armadillo against the ground, as he raised his other hand, leaving only his index, middle, and ring fingers out like fork prongs.

The yellow Sun Flame ignited over each finger as he growled out, "Forget a weapon—I'll cut your heart out with my bare hands!"

Armadillo squeezed her eyes shut as Makoto brought his hand down. Much to her surprise, he never struck her. Armadillo heard a crunch beside her head, flinched, and then opened her eyes. Makoto stood up and brushed dirt off his hands, staring off into space.

"You…" Armadillo turned her head, and saw three finger-shaped holes in the ground beside her. She looked back up at Makoto. "You didn't kill me…"

"Been there. Done that. Got the T-Shirt," Makoto muttered. "Never again."

"However…" he leaned down, and struck a point in each of Armadillo's shoulders. Pain coursed through her body, and she screamed. "I can't risk you getting back up. Sorry about that. Lay down and snooze a few off, doctor's orders."

"SON OF A—" Armadillo roared, as Makoto walked off.

"Alright." He cracked his fingers. "Who needs healin'?"

 ** _-XI-_** ****

 **Please check out my new One Piece next gen fanfic—One Piece: Dark Horse—and tell me what you think! I promise it's not replacing this! At the moment it's only 5 chapters long (in my backlog).**

 **Also, check out the Reborn! Again forum on this site and drop an OC for the Varia contest. You could see your character in this title (eventually XD)!**

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: Obata Akira**

 **Snake- I am like nothing you have ever encountered. I am invincccible. I am unssssstoppable.**

 **Eiji- 'I won't ssshhhut up.' I get it, Ekans. You're bad.**

 **?- You're a good person, Eiji. Don't ever let that change.**

 **Eiji- No…NOOO!**


	23. Obata Akira

**So, no lie, I thought this was the two week mark (as in I was on time), but I just found out last week was. I screwed up…again. I'm so sorry! My life has been beyond crazy recently. My grandpa is dying, I've been sick, work's been hectic, and the 4** **th** **of July is always nuts. Please forgive me for being late again!**

 **On a completely different (and much happier) note, this basically marks the one year anniversary of this story's publication. Tomorrow's the official date, and in honor of that I'm happy to say that I'll be releasing a second issue this weekend (on Saturday or Sunday, I dunno). Additionally, the story will go weekly for the rest of the summer (meaning until at earliest mid-August, at latest early-September, depending on my early school workload).**

 **Valery-chan: Never seen Hetalia, but I'll take that as a compliment! XD**

 **Sn0wk1tty: I know, right? Makoto's got his shit together!**

 **SuperCherryGurl: Believe it or not, I think you're only the second person who's asked me that. A certain aloof Guardian will make a brief appearance in the next (short) arc, and…er, that's it. However, in the arc following Tsuna will pop by for a scene or two, and one of his Guardians (won't spoil who) plays a substantial role throughout that story.**

…

Reborn! Again

Target 23 – Obata Akira

 **Previously on Reborn! Again:**

 _Eiji attempted to finish Snake with one blow._

 _The swordswoman repelled his decapitating swipe with her blade, and then proceeded to block his second strike, ending with a thrust toward his gut. Eiji managed to roll backwards to dodge the attack._

 _Revolving up onto his feet, the ninja chided, "Your response was half a second too slow. I'll remember that."_

" _Give me a break, boy. No one could make ussseee of that time," Snake said, holding her rapier out._

 _Eiji simply smirked, and threw one of his scythes._

 _ **-XI-**_

More than a few minutes into their fight, and shortly after Sora had wished his Guardians "good luck," Eiji and Snake were still neck and neck, despite both of their confidence they could defeat the other in no time flat.

"Y'know, you remind me of my sister," Eiji began, as he knocked away another of Snake's attacks. "You balance offense and defense near-perfectly, but you're slow."

"Sssisssterrr?" Snake spat out the word like it was poison in her mouth. She lunged forward, and began to stab at Eiji incessantly, creating a cloud of violence. "I am like nothing you have ever encountered. I am invincccible. I am unssssstoppable."

While Eiji successfully maneuvered around each of the assassin's strikes, he could not do so casually. His smirk faded, albeit his wit did not.

"'I won't ssshhhutt up.' I get it, Ekans. You're bad," he replied.

Eiji finally noticed a chink in Snake's attack. He slid between two of her jabs and kicked her leg out from under her. Sliding his crescent-shaped blade around her neck, Eiji tutted.

"There's the overconfidence, the recklessness. That's a trait I share with my sister, too," he whispered.

"I am not your sssissster!" Snake hissed angrily.

Eiji's expression hardened. "Believe me, I know."

 _ **-XI-**_

 _Inside a worn down dojo, a small figure in padded black ninja gear charged at a larger figure in the same apparel. Both held twin wooden batons that were strung together by a thin cord. Both had their faces obscured by dark masks. However, only one of the figures seemed to truly know what they were doing._

 _The larger figure leapt over the smaller and threw one of their batons at the back of the other's head. It connected, and sent the smaller figure stumbling away. To finish the combo, the larger figure ran up to their opponent and kicked their legs out from under them. Aiming one of their batons at the other's face, the larger figure pinned the smaller to the ground._

 _The smaller figure pulled down the mouth of their mask with an exaggerated sigh. "What the hell, sis?! That's the third time today you've gone for the back of my—"_

" _Eiji!" roared a balding, middle-aged man from just outside the matted ring. "Stop complaining and fight! The Vongola will show you no mercy in combat."_

 _A ten-year-old Eiji bit his lip, and began to stand. However, his sister subtly jammed his ankle into the ground with her foot._

" _Ow!" Eiji cried out._

" _Father, I think Eiji sprained his ankle in the last match. He needs to go straight to Obaa-san," the young woman said, her brown eyes twinkling mischievously from beneath the shadow of her mask._

 _Eiji picked up on his sister's plan, and quickly hid his smirk. He began to stand, saying, "No, I'm fi—AGH!"_

 _Although putting weight on his ankle didn't seriously hurt him, he immediately fell to the ground._

 _Rage flooded Obata Kisuke's eyes, but seeing no other alternative, he relented. "Very well. Akira, take your brother to see your grandmother. Eiji…" His expression further darkened. "Meditate tonight on your failings. The Chosen One cannot be beaten in basic combat by a girl. If you are to avenge our clan and defeat the Vongola…"_

 _Kisuke quieted; his statement need not be finished to be understood. He gave Eiji one last frustrated glance and then left the room._

 _Huffing in relief, Eiji looked up at his sister. "Thanks for the save, nee—"_

 _He cut himself off as he noticed the darkness that had fallen over her. Akira stared at the door after her father, her eyes sunken and her hands shaking._

" _Nee-chan…" Eiji struggled for the right words._

 _As if a breeze had swept away her frustration, Akira suddenly slipped off her mask and beamed, "Hey, Eiji, wanna hit up the town? It's getting a bit stuffy in here."_

 _Truthfully, Eiji thought, it was actually a bit chilly in their home—the compound, Akira liked to call it. Even still, he wasn't about to refute his sister's statement. He nodded, grinning, and stood up, causing him to recoil in pain._

" _Go a little easier on my ankle next time. 'S maybe not swollen, but it still hurts," Eiji whined._

" _Hey, Father—" Akira began, getting louder._

" _Okay, okay, I get it! Shut up!" Eiji exclaimed, trying to cover up his sister's mouth._

 _Akira giggled and dragged her brother into a noogie. "What was that, Eiji?"_

" _Gah! Stop that!" Eiji protested. "Can't we just go already?!"_

 _ **-XI-**_

 _A short while later, the two siblings were trotting down the streets of Homukage, a nearby town that was even more decrepit than their home, chatting leisurely as they slurped up ice cream. Akira laughed heartily as her brother smeared ice cream on his chin. Eiji blushed and wiped it away._

 _The two couldn't be more different. Eiji, for the most part, was shy, and sported azure hair and eyes. Akira looked and acted more like her father: her hair and eyes dark, and her personality boisterous and outgoing._

 _However, the young woman had an effect on the boy that brought out the best in him. After a few moments of awkwardness, Eiji joined in her laughter. The two only stopped when a little girl dressed in tattered clothing tugged on Akira's shirt._

" _Excuse me, ma'am, but could you spare a few yen?" the little girl asked._

 _Eiji was at a loss for words. The girl was only a few years younger than him, and yet she couldn't have weighed half as much as he did._

 _Akira, meanwhile, searched through her pockets for money, but she'd spent most of what she had on her on their ice cream. "I'm sorry, but—"_

" _Here." Eiji handed the girl his ice cream._

 _She looked up at him, unsure if she should take it. After he motioned it toward her once more, the girl's face lit up and she took it._

 _Bowing, she said, "Thank you, sir."_

 _Afraid to ask for more, the girl hurried off with her new treat._

 _Akira couldn't help but stare at her brother, stunned. He glanced at her, blushed, and rubbed the back of his shaggy blue hair embarrassedly._

" _Sorry. I know you spent your own cash on that—"_

" _No. No, it's fine," Akira muttered. Her eyes were drawn past Eiji to their home up on a hill outside of town. After a few moments, she added dazedly, "You're a good person, Eiji. Don't ever let that change."_

 _Eiji's cheeks darkened. "I'm—I'm sorry for what Father said about girls…about you. It's not true."_

" _But maybe he's right," Akira whispered._

 _A new fire lit in Eiji's chest. His cheeks remained red, but with rage now, not embarrassment. "No! He's wrong! Just think about it, Akira. You're one of the clan's best fighters, and you're not even seventeen yet!"_

 _Akira was taken aback by her brother's sudden outburst. He'd never seemed so protective before, nor had she ever heard anyone say that to her. In truth, she was the only active female combatant in their clan. However, she hadn't seen real combat even once. Her mother claimed it was overprotectiveness because she was Kisuke's child. She knew better. It was because she was his_ daughter _. Even still…_

" _I'm not the Reaper, Eiji. When Mother and Father brought you home, I knew…" her voice faded away._

" _Don't give me that! So what if some crazy old witch said I'm some sorta chosen one?! That's a bunch 'a hocus pocus. This is the truth—you're gonna be the best damn ninja in the world!" Eiji declared._

 _Akira suddenly embraced her brother. Eiji was too shocked to react for a few moments. Eventually, he returned his sister's hug in kind._

" _I'm proud to be your sister, nee-chan," Eiji mumbled._

 _Tears falling down her cheeks, Akira pulled back, and said, "I'm proud to be your brother, ototo-chan."_

 _Eiji forced a smile and gently punched his sister in the arm. "C'mon. Ninjas don't cry."_

 _Akira wiped away her tears and laughed. Together, the two returned home._

 _ **-XI-**_

 _The Obata siblings were greeted by a horde of terrified family members upon their return._

" _He's here—"_

" _Where have you been—"_

" _Hide Eiji! Hide him!"_

 _Kisuke pushed his way through the crowd, his face redder than either of his children could remember ever seeing it._

" _We'll discuss the consequences of your foolish trip later," Kisuke growled. "For now, get inside!"_

" _Wha—what's happening?" Eiji wondered._

" _Father," Akira pushed._

 _Kisuke was armed to the brim, two katanas in his hands and his belt full of shurikens. Other older ninja approached from the background, each nearly obscured by the shadow of the buildings or trees. It looked as if the Obata clan were preparing for war._

" _They've been spotted," Kisuke explained, "The Vongola are in Homukage."_

 _Eiji gasped. His sister grit her teeth, rage bubbling up inside her. The town had relied on their clan's protection for centuries. When they were defeated and dishonored by the Vongola, most of Homukage had been abandoned, and the rest left to ruin. That girl..._

" _Let me fight," Akira demanded._

" _Take your brother and hide!" Kisuke ordered._

" _Stop trying to protect me! LET ME FIGHT!" Akira cried out._

" _You are my daughter and you will listen to_ me _—"_

 _At that moment, an explosion boomed in the distance. A building crumbled away. The crowd of terrified Obata pedestrians screamed._

 _Gulping, Kisuke nodded. "Arm yourself."_

 _With those last words, he led the others toward Homukage._

 _Akira briefly stopped to tell her brother goodbye. She gave him one last hug, and pulled back to say, "Be safe, Eiji."_

 _He nodded. "You too, nee-chan. Avenge our honor."_

 _A couple elders began to drag Eiji toward the center of the compound as his sister ran toward her room to change into her battle gear and to grab her weapon of choice._

 _Eiji yelled after her, "And prove me right!"_

 _Akira disappeared amidst the chaos, leaving Eiji to pray for her safety—and pride._

 _ **-XI-**_

 _Hours later, the sounds of battle quieted. It took another thirty minutes for the Obata ninjas to return. Many were injured; some carried the fallen in their arms. However, no Vongola followed them home. They had won the day, or so it seemed._

 _Eiji rushed out of his parent's room upon seeing the first of the survivors._

" _Akira-nee!" he cried. "Akira-nee!"_

 _Eiji was on a swivel, looking this way and that for his sister, but he couldn't find her. Suddenly, he caught sight of his father limping through the entrance, carrying but a bloodied kusarigama. Eiji knew that blue-hilted weapon. It belonged to Akira._

" _No…" he whispered. "NOOO!"_

 _Eiji stormed toward his father. Upon seeing his son, Kisuke's expression seemed to further darken. He dropped the twin blades at Eiji's feet._

" _They killed her. She fought…" Kisuke struggled to say, "_ bravely _, and they killed her." He motioned around to the rest of the fallen. "They killed nearly a dozen of us."_

 _Eiji collapsed onto his knees, shaking. Tears slid down his cheeks like a torrential waterfall. He gripped the kusarigama's handles, the blood dripping back onto his hands._

" _Her body…?" he managed._

" _Ash," Kisuke said. "Now you see their cruelty, boy. The Vongola are demon-spawn. They killed your sister."_

 _Eiji suddenly stopped shaking. He wiped away his tears, leaving droplets of blood—his sister's blood—to replace them on his cheeks. Fire evolved into an inferno in his eyes as he looked up at his father._

" _And I will kill them," Eiji said hoarsely. "Every last one."_

 _Kisuke smirked, "Good, Eiji."_

" _No…" The boy shook his head. The fire in his eyes was powerful, but cold and lifeless. "I am the Reaper."_

 _ **-XI-**_

 **Ouch! This was a tough one to write. Deals with some heavy stuff. Next chapter delves further into Eiji's story! Just how exactly did he end up on the Vongola's side after _that_? Read on and find out! **

**Ho ho ho…almost forgot. The last part in my celebration of the anniversary of this title—a popularity poll! That's right. On my page, starting immediately following the release of next issue, you will be able to vote for your favorite Reborn! Again character. The results will be revealed at the end of this arc.**

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: Salvation**

 **Kisuke- You are a weapon, boy. Nothing more, nothing less.**

 **Eiji- I...I can't tell the truth from lies anymore…**

 **Snake- Do you think I became the fifth strongest assssassssin in our ranksss with sssimple sssswordplay?!**

 **Eiji- Honestly, I have to admit I didn't see that coming.**


	24. Salvation

**So, a day late. Better than usual, right? XD**

 **Valery-chan: Now you guys can finally understand why Eiji hated the Vongola so much and why he wouldn't reconcile with Sora. With this chapter, you'll be able to understand why that (kinda) changed.**

…

Reborn! Again

Target 24 – Salvation

 **A Few Weeks Ago…**

 _Eiji sat alone in the dojo, staring blankly at his sister's kusarigama on the ground before him. Or were they his now? He had used them far more than she ever had. Almost a dozen battles won…but none of them real. All were training bouts, and when it really mattered, he lost. Just like his sister…only he didn't die._

 _Why? Why had Sora spared him? Sora was one of the potential Vongola heirs. By all accounts, he should have been cruel, and yet he had not only spared his life, he'd extended his hand in friendship. Sora had saved a boy he hadn't even known._

' _What am I missing, nee-chan? The Vongola murdered y_ ou, _and left nothing but ash._ _So why am I alive?' Eiji wondered._

 _Eiji heard the door slide open. In came the heavy footsteps of his father, Kisuke. Eiji bit his tongue. He knew what was coming._

" _Your mother told me what happened. You failed," Kisuke quietly said, his voice quivering with rage._

 _Eiji stood and turned around to face his father, who towered over him. He was unusually short for the Obata Clan. Eiji was shorter than his dearly departed sister at this age. He was a freak in more ways than one. Blue hair and eyes, petite stature, pale skin…_

 _As if reading his mind, Kisuke continued, "The witch told us to await a boy with hair and eyes the color of a cool summer rain. She prophesied that boy would defeat our enemy and return our clan to its former glory. When we found you, Eiji—"_

" _You mean when mother gave birth to me," Eiji replied with a hint of spite, believing his father's statement to be a cruel mistake, a Freudian slip. In response, Kisuke's brow furled further with anger. Eiji continued, "You believed I was the boy from the prophecy, your savior in the flesh. You believed I was the Reaper. I know. I understand. I always have, and that's why I never complained when you isolated me, when you pushed me far past my peers…although I knew none of them."_

" _You have always complained," Kisuke spat back._

" _Not about my fate," Eiji retorted. After a moment's pause, he said, "And now you'll lay into me, tell me all about how weak I am, how much of a disappointment I am. You'll remind me that my sister was murdered by the Vongola, that they are the enemy, that that should be motivation to work harder, to be deadlier, as if I don't already know that."_

 _Eiji stepped forward and planted his feet firmly in the ground. "So yell at me. Do it, because I know you want to."_

 _Kisuke was at a loss for words. All he could do was glare at his son, speechless._

 _Something broke in Eiji's eyes. "I'm tired of this life. Maybe I am the Reaper. Maybe I will destroy the Vongola…but that's not all I want out of life. I got a taste of—"_

 _As if the sudden display of emotion, of doubt awakened something inside him, Kisuke slapped his son, silencing him, and coolly said, "You are a weapon, boy. Nothing more, nothing less."_

 _With those final words, Kisuke left. Eiji remained frozen for nearly a minute, before he managed to bring himself to look at his sister's—his—kusarigama. A tear slipped down his cheek, even as he silently scolded himself for crying._

' _The Vongola are the enemy, but their heir treated me like a friend. My own family spurns and abuses me. I never saw your body, nee-chan, but why would Father lie about your death? Why wouldn't you come home?' Eiji thought._

 _He sighed deeply, and whispered, "I…I can't tell the truth from lies anymore…"_

 _ **-XI-**_

 **Days Ago…**

 _Shortly before dawn, Eiji snuck out of the compound and into Homukage. Climbing atop the ice cream shop, he waited for daybreak. Within an hour, the Clan would notice his absence, as they had once every week since his return. His Father would scold him upon his arrival home, and possible even beat him. Soon, he imagined, they'd leave guards at his door. Like that would stop him…_

' _A ninja is one with the shadows,' Eiji thought, just as the first crack of sunlight shined onto his face._

 _He had come to this spot to watch the sunrise a total of three times since he'd failed to kill Sora, each time after a week of excruciating training. Before then, he'd only managed it twice in all the years since his sister had died. However, it was she that had given him the idea. Once, on his eight birthday, Akira had led him away to watch the sunrise and to interact with the children in the town. They'd returned before they could get caught, leaving it a pitch perfect memory._

 _As the sun rose higher and higher into the sky, Eiji grew calmer and calmer. Forgotten were his troubles with his father and the Vongola. When a gentle rain began to pad down, he could almost feel his sister sitting next to him. He could hear her voice._

" _Obata Eiji—"_

 _Nope. That was a man's voice._

 _Eiji drew a knife and swiveled around, but found himself rather quickly and efficiently disarmed. Dammit, he'd let his guard down. Preparing for the worst, Eiji hoped to at least look his killer in the eyes before he died. Surprised to discover he couldn't see the man's face under a black rain jacket's hood, and even more surprised after a few seconds that he was still unharmed, Eiji stumbled back, tripping off the roof. Thankfully, the hooded man reacted immediately and grabbed Eiji's arm, allowing him to regain his balance._

" _Take it easy, Eiji-kun. I'm not here to hurt you." The man said his name with the casual grace of an old friend._

" _Who are you?" was Eiji's obvious response._

" _Um…" The man paused for what seemed like an eternity before replying, "Nowadays a lot of people call me the Sword Emperor, and since I'd like to keep my real name a secret for personal reasons (as in, your clan wants to kill my friends and family), you can just call me that."_

 _He had added the note about the Obata wanting to kill his loved ones like an afterthought. Nevertheless, Eiji had caught it, and immediately rolled the thought over in his head. The only people the Obata wanted to kill were…_

" _You're from the Vongola," Eiji realized. As he'd left his kusarigama at home, he was forced to reach for another knife._

 _However, the hooded man wouldn't have that. Yet again, he disarmed Eiji by merely knocking the blade out of his hand._

 _Scratching his head embarrassedly, the hooded man said, "Listen, I know we've got a bad rap, especially with your clan, but I promise we mean you guys no harm."_

" _Explain that to my sister," Eiji spat, although he had since stopped reaching for weapons. Even still, he was ready to attack at a moment's notice._

 _The hooded man paused, as if to consider his words carefully. "I know this will be tough to believe, but we didn't kill your sister. There's more going on here than you realize, and after you attempted to kill one of our boss candidates…well, we felt it was time to address your clan."_

 _Eiji did struggle to believe him, but doubt nonetheless crept up his chest. So, he went with, "'We…?' Are you the boss?"_

 _The hooded man shook his head. "No. Just his good friend."_

" _So…what? I'm supposed to just believe you?" Eiji growled._

" _Yep!"_

 _Eiji nearly fell back again in shock. The man had said it so enthusiastically, without a smidgen of doubt…who the hell was this guy, and why was he so cheery?_

" _I…uh, well, I don't," Eiji replied. He could feel the man's mood dwindle._

" _Oh…" he said disappointedly. "So you don't want to find out what really happened to your sister?"_

 _Eiji's eyes widened. He leaped back, and threw shurikens at the man, who casually drew a shinai that quickly transformed into a katana as he blocked the projectiles._

" _LEAVE HER OUT OF THIS!" Eiji roared, before landing safely on the ground._

" _You met Sora, didn't you?" the hooded man said, still standing in place._

 _Eiji froze. That was enough of an answer._

" _If you don't trust me, trust him. Of course, you'll still have to come with me, but I promise we'll explain everything in due time," the hooded man said._

 _Eiji faltered. He looked at the ground. His voice quivering, he said, "Why are you doing this?"_

" _To keep my Family safe," the man instantly replied. After a brief pause, he added, "And because a baby told me to."_

 _Eiji assumed he meant Reborn, otherwise that was an odd answer. So, after all this time, all this doubt, what could he do…but agree._

 _Eiji relaxed, stood up straight, and said, "Tomorrow morning at dawn. Here. I'll be waiting."_

 _Eiji could see the man smile underneath his hood. He nodded and waved Eiji off, "Go on, kid. I'll see you tomorrow."_

 _Eiji quietly returned to the compound and was relieved to discover no one had yet awoken. He snuck into his room, and began to work on a note. Tomorrow morning, his father would read it, surely livid with rage. Eiji didn't care. He was tired of following orders. Now, he would forge his own future, and if the hooded man was telling the truth, he'd work with the Vongola to find his sister's true killer and avenge her._

 _Eiji sat up, the note finished. He smiled excitedly as he looked over it._

 _It read: "Dear Father and Mother,_

" _I've gone off with the Vongola. I hope it makes you angry. I'm not afraid to admit that._

" _Truth is, I have reason to believe there's more to my sister's death than you either admitted to me or knew. At the very least, I'll be right in the belly of the beast, so I can destroy the Vongola from the inside if it turns out they're lying to me. Or, perhaps, I can change them. I can make them a force for good. We'll see._

" _Don't come looking for me. Frankly, if the Vongola are evil, you might end up dead. If they're not…well, I don't want to be found. I need to do this on my own. I know that won't stop you, and, again, I don't care. Because_ I _can stop you. I'm the strongest warrior in our clan, or at least I will be soon. I now have our greatest enemy at my back. Be afraid, Father. Be very afraid._

" _And be proud. I'm still your son. I'm still the Reaper. Now, I'm taking things into my own hands, like you always wanted. I'm achieving my destiny._

 _Your son,_

 _Eiji."_

 _Something odd crept into Eiji's heart, something he hadn't felt in a very long time: hope._

 _With a new glimmer in his eye, he stood, and prepared to greet his father for breakfast._

 _ **-XI-**_

Eiji decapitated Snake without so much as another thought. The battle was won…gruesomely. Or, as the boy quickly discovered, perhaps not.

There was no blood. In fact, the remains of Snake's head were merely a sack of skin. Eiji could hear slithering behind him. He knew what this meant; he just couldn't believe it. Eiji reacted as quickly as he could, but he was too slow. He felt a prick in his neck as he jumped away.

Flipping around to face Snake's 'corpse,' Eiji came face to face with a new, paler Snake, who was totally unscathed…only this time, she had actual scales for skin. However, he could tell they were slowly fading together, to at the very least appear like basic human skin.

"You molted. You're…you're not human…" Eiji muttered.

"Do you think I became the fifth strongest assssassssin in our ranksss with sssimple sssswordplay?!" hissed Snake. "I am the product of the greatessst ssscccientissst of our timesss: Verde. I am the next ssstage in human evolution."

"You're a manimal. Got it," Eiji grumbled, "Honestly, I have to admit I didn't see that coming."

Eiji casually flipped his kusarigama around before tossing one blade at Snake. The beast-woman dodged to the side, her movements fluid like her namesake's.

"Wait—don't you want to know my origin?" Snake asked.

Eiji cocked an eyebrow. "You're joking, right?"

He pulled his thrown blade back to his hand and charged. As he did so, for the first time he felt pain seep through a wound on his neck. That would be why Snake wanted to stall. She'd poisoned him with her sword.

Eiji ducked beneath a stroke of Snake's sword. He came up swinging, but she managed to slide out of the way again.

"You wanna talk? Fine. What did you poison me with?" Eiji pushed.

Snake chuckled, "Please."

Eiji smirked, and hopped back a few steps. "Oh, well, it was worth a try."

Snake cocked her head to the side, curious. Pretentiously, she said, "Is this where you usssse a sssecret move to beat me with one blow?"

"No," Eiji's eyes lit up with a malicious fire, "It'll take two."

"You can't sssseriously—"

"I told you when we began fighting that I'd noticed you were slow. I've largely been playing with you since then. Your ability was unexpected, but not something I can't overcome. When you poisoned me…well, let's just say you signed your own death sentence," Eiji growled, a new intensity in his voice.

"Give me a break," Snake muttered. She sprinted toward Eiji, who bent his knees so he was squatting just above the floor.

"Reaper Cross," he whispered.

Side-stepping around Snake's lunge, he feinted with his first blade. She immediately responded by ducking away. However, Eiji was prepared for this. He matched her step-for-step, and slipped her legs out from under her with one of his blades. While she was caught in mid-air, he swung his other blade upward, cutting across her chest. Scaly skin tore beneath his blow, but before blood could spurt from her wound, he slashed horizontally, creating a horrid cross on her body.

Snake collapsed, bleeding profusely from her wound. Would she live? It was up to her. She had to fight for her life now. Eiji grimaced. He'd given her a chance. Upon his sensei's orders, he'd left her with but a mortal wound. With the proper medical care and a bit of willpower, she'd be fine.

"Oh…sh—" Eiji grumbled as he fell beside her. His body was going into shock due to the poison.

Was this it? Would anyone reach him in time? Would the Vongola even care? He had been their enemy…

"I gotcha, buddy," came a gentle voice. Someone placed his head onto their lap.

Eiji looked up into the kind blue eyes of the elder Nakamura brother. A tiny smile ghosted over his lips.

Yes. He would be okay. He wasn't alone…not anymore.

 _ **-XI-**_

 **Guess who the hooded man was! I'll tease one little thing—I lied a bit in the last chapter's review responses to leave this as a surprise.**

 **ALSO! Confession time! While I definitely view Eiji as his own unique character, he's very much an homage to the first manga I ever read: Naruto. He's got bits of Hinata and Sasuke in his backstory and personality. The town near his compound is named Homukage (like Hokage), only it means Home Shadow instead of Fire Shadow. There's also the fact he fights a snake bad guy who can molt her own skin (kinda like Orochimaru). And obviously he's a ninja. Just thought you might like to know that fun fact.**

 **Please check out the Reborn! Again forum on this site and create an OC for the Varia Contest! I've only received one so far.**

 **Lastly, the character popularity poll is up! Please vote!**

' **Til Friday, folks, see ya!**

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: The Bat and The Leach**

 **Bat- We're the best Le Bestie has to offer, weaker only than our boss.**

 **Sora- Shit! We're out of Dying Will Bullets!**

 **Kimiko- Leave it to me.**


	25. The Bat and The Leach

**This is the second time I've been a day late recently, but all things considered, I'm feeling good about this. I got two issues up last week, and I've successfully restarted a weekly schedule. However, to compensate for my packed Fridays, I'm gonna stop scheduling each new chapter for a specific day. Just know each one will come out at some point during the weekend.**

 **And OMG! This is the 25** **th** **issue! Halfway to 50, baby!**

 **Nyx Starlight: Honestly, I've been silently hoping for a review like yours for a long time now. To know the title can still attract new readers, and inspire them to read it in one go…it just makes me so excited! Thanks! :)**

…

Reborn! Again

Target 25 – The Bat and The Leach

The darkened corridors and open walkways of the mall were more than just a maze-like pathway to Kori (whose whereabouts were currently unknown); they also were a huge pain in the ass. Even with the light of Kimiko's Lightning Flame-covered blade guiding their way, Sora couldn't see more than a few feet away from his position in the lead.

"GAH!" he cried out, stumbling over a table leg in the food court.

"Stupid Sora," Reborn grumbled as the boy's legs gave out, exhaustion finally catching up.

Luckily, Kimiko reacted immediately and caught her brother with one hand. Helping him back up, she looked over him protectively.

"I can handle this, really…" she said.

"Not gonna let you kill anyone else," Sora grunted, forcing his foot forward.

Kimiko's eyes followed her little brother for a few moments as he struggled forward. She knew that he wouldn't believe any promise she made. In fact, that was probably fair. She was a hitwoman, after all, and she'd lied to him about that fact for years. If she were in his position, she doubted she would act any differently.

"C'mon, I can't see any further!" Sora said. He leaned against a wall for support while he waited, and waved Kimiko forward.

She hardened her expression and nodded, following him. Reborn trotted behind them, the cocooned Leon in tow.

"Gotta be somewhere close. Didn't take the others long to show up after they were called on," Sora thought aloud.

"Funny you mention that," Kimiko said, suddenly freezing in the middle of the food court.

She dived in front of her brother and deflected a sudden attack with her katana. As metal met metal, sparks flew, illuminating the newcomer and terrifying Sora, who collapsed onto his rear.

The black-suited Bat was hovering on a glider of the same color, its wings shaped like the assassin's namesake's. However, the glider's sported razor sharp ends, which Bat had just used in his attempted kill shot. A cruel, yellowing smile was all Kimiko could make out beneath his mask.

The assassin remained speechless as he retreated back into the shadows on his silent glider. Kimiko had lost him just as quickly as she had found him.

"Impressive. Most people can't hear Bat coming. Just what we should expect from one of the Vongola's Prodigies, I suppose," drawled a new voice.

Both Nakamuras and Reborn looked left to discover a petite woman hanging from a beam on the ceiling with one arm and both legs, her face illuminated by the smart watch on her free arm's wrist. Leach sported clothing as casual as her demeanor, simply wearing baggy cargo pants, a white tank top, and sandals.

"I wish I could say I heard him, but I'm not that good," Kimiko began, glancing around, as if looking for something. "I just saw his shadow a second before he…"

She dodge rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding another dive bomb. Bat cackled for a moment before going quiet again as he disappeared into the shadows. Sora tried to push himself onto his feet, but couldn't manage it.

"Even still…" Leach mumbled. She freed her arm to type something into her smart watch, but managed to remain stable on the beam nonetheless.

"Leach and I, we're the best Le Bestie has to offer, weaker only than our boss," came Bat's distance voice.

Kimiko began, "I can see Bat—"

"Call him Wayne if you want to piss him off," Leach interjected.

"—is a class act assassin," Kimiko continued, "He's silent, deadly, and quick. But you…what can you do?"

"Me? Oh, not much. I'm not fast, or strong, or particularly good with a weapon," Leach muttered, "Unless you count this."

Leach stopped typing. Suddenly, a metal hand stuck up through the floor and grabbed Kimiko's ankle. After a Lightning-infused strike couldn't remove it, Kimiko was forced to deflect another of Bat's attacks.

"Kimiko…" Sora whispered, furious with himself. He looked at Reborn. "Reborn, shoot me with a—"

The hitman's face said it all. Sora dry swallowed, remembering…

"Shit! We're out of Dying Will Bullets!" he cried out, before quickly covering up his mouth, realizing what he'd just done.

"Oh…?" Leach cocked an eyebrow, interested.

"Stupid Sora," Reborn chided, shaking his head.

"Sora, leave it to me," Kimiko demanded, as another hand burst from the ground and latched onto her other ankle.

She roared in pain as their metallic fingers dug into her legs, and amidst it all caught sight of a shadow. She threw her sword at Sora's feet, lodging it into the ground. Thankfully, her plan had worked and Bat soared away to avoid her blade.

Sparking her ring with a bright green flame, Kimiko directed the sword to swerve around Sora protectively. She bent over at the waste to duck as Bat zoomed overhead. Metal hands were followed by metal arms and whatever was below her crawled up further.

All at once, the floor behind her crumbled as an enormous white robot burst from it. Before she could escape, the golem-like metal monster wrapped its thick metal arms around her and clasped its hands together, trapping her. As her mind raced in an attempt to come up with an escape plan that would also keep her brother safe, she felt energy quite literally drain from her every pore. It was like she was in a blistering heat, being dehydrated by the second as swear poured down her body.

"Oh yeah. You're feeling it, aren't you?" Leach rhetorically asked, dropping down onto her feet. "Percolare there inserted a tiny needle into you the instant he caught you. That needle's pumping a very interesting chemical into your bloodstream…"

"Comagen," Kimiko grunted. Sweat beaded into her eyes, causing her to blink furiously to bat away the stinging pain.

"So you're smart, too?" Leach drawled. "Yes, Comagen, for the less enlightened," she glanced at Sora, who glared back at her, "reacts quite…poorly with water. Use enough, and you'll drain a girl dry."

For the first time, Bat willingly came into the light, cackling maliciously. "Sloth's a genius. She designed all our tech, including this baby." He patted his glider. Suddenly, Kimiko's katana soared toward him, but he dodged it easily enough and continued, "Nice try, Boltie. Guess we overestimated you. You got some fancy tricks, but against us you're nothing."

"Heh. HehehahaHAHAHA!" Kimiko broke into laughter. Sora eyed her warily. She sounded _insane_.

Suddenly, Kimiko's head shot down and she looked venomously between Bat and Leach. "You're not the first person to call me 'nothing.' You know what happened to the guy who was?"

Leach glanced at Bat, "Finish her now."

"B-but Percolare—" Bat stammered.

"NOW!" Leach demanded.

Nodding, Bat faced Kimiko and soared toward her.

Seething, Kimiko whispered, "You will…"

 _ **-XI-**_

" _Pathetic," the older swordsman spat, kicking a teenaged Kimiko to the ground. The girl tried and failed to get back up, leaving the man to sneer down at her. "You're a speck. You're dirt. You're nothing compared to me. Why even try, girl?"_

 _Kimiko couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze. She just stared at the ceiling, willing her tears away. The man sighed, and walked away, followed by a flock of impressed fans._

" _Wow, Dai-san, only two minutes—"_

" _You're undefeated!"_

"— _beat her in no time flat—"_

" _When are you gonna challenge the Sword Emperor?"_

 _Kimiko tightened her hands into fists. She heard the door slam shut as the voices faded. Her breathing shallow, she forced herself onto her knees and screamed, eyes shut._

" _VOOOI! What the fuck was that?!"_

 _Kimiko blushed, opening her eyes. She thought she was alone. Wiping away her tears, she looked at the source of the voice, a middle-aged man with long silver hair and a face that looked too unfriendly to know how to smile. On top of all that, he was missing an arm, leaving his jacket sleeve to hang loosely at his side._

" _I—I'm sorry," Kimiko said, bowing her head._

" _Don't give me that shit. Look up," the man growled. Upon her gaze falling only onto his knees, he pointed at his eyes, "Up here, dumbass."_

 _Kimiko regretfully did so. On the plus side, her frustration with the man's lack of manners had driven away any hint of tears._

" _What just happened?" the man demanded._

 _Kimiko furrowed her brow, unsure if she understood. "…I lost…"_

" _To who?" the man pushed._

" _Daichii Hikaru," she said._

" _Oh, wow, never would've thought an—" the man stopped, his frown deepened, and he asked, "How old are you?"_

" _Eighteen."_

" _Never would've thought an eighteen-year-old would beat the Vongola's third best swordsman and member of their esteemed Varia. Big surprise, then, that she lost," he said._

" _Certainly, but—" It was beginning to become incredibly difficult for Kimiko to control her temper, even though the man was crippled. When he interrupted her yet again, she nearly lost it, her face reddening._

" _No buts. You're a kid. What are you doing here, anyway?" the man wondered, although the way he spoke almost made Kimiko think the question was rhetorical._

" _I'm attending Vongola University in order to one day join the ranks of the Family, maybe even become a Guardian to the Eleventh or…or join the Varia," Kimiko admitted, her gaze falling._

" _And how are you doing at VU?"_

" _I'm…well…" Kimiko shrugged. "I'm the top of my class." She began to ramble onwards, emotion flooding her mind. "I tested out of every kendo class, so I'm left to teach myself, and I wanted to prove that I was competent, that it wasn't just sheer luck that I passed them all, which is why I challenged Daichii—"_

 _Kimiko covered her mouth, cutting herself off. It had all just slipped out. But the way the man was smirking…he'd expected that. He'd wanted her to admit that—_

" _There's no reason to be ashamed, dumbass. You're incredibly talented; you've just never had a decent teacher," the man grinned._

 _The way her looked down at her…it was like a predator looking at its prey. Kimiko gulped._

" _Who…are you?" she asked._

" _Don't recognize me, idiot?! I'm Superbi Squalo—"_

"— _the former Sword Emperor!" Kimiko exclaimed._

" _And your new sensei," Squalo finished, resisting the urge to slap her for interrupting him._

" _But…why?" Kimiko wondered._

" _To tell you the truth..." Silence fell over the room, as anxiety loomed over Kimiko. Why? Why her? Squalo took a deep breath, and…_

" _I just really, really hate that guy," Squalo admitted._

 _Kimiko sweat dropped. All that tension and build up for nothing?_

" _Daichii-bastard is ruining the Varia! His smarminess, his 'ooh, look at me, I'm so goddamn awesome,' approach to everything is the opposite of what the Varia stands for! I swear, if I was ten years younger I'd teach him a lesson…" Squalo grumbled._

" _That's…that's it?" Kimiko said._

 _Squalo looked down at her, his eyes glinting for a moment. "What did you expect? A heartfelt confession? I don't even know you."_

 _Kimiko sighed and stood up, her body aching. "Fair enough. So…when do we start?"_

 _Squalo smirked. "Attagirl."_

 _ **-XI-**_

Kimiko's katana sailed toward Bat, forcing him off course. However, it continued past him and _straight through Kimiko's stomach!_

"KIMIKO!" Sora screamed, finally managing to stand.

Bat stopped in mid-air, shocked. Leach's jaw dropped. Reborn remained blank-faced.

Kimiko sputtered blood, but managed a smirk. Percolare sparked behind her and then loosened its grip. She pushed her way out of it and kicked it down, removing the sword from its gut.

"Just needed a little momentum is all…" she chuckled.

Bat finally found it within himself to attack. However, while the assassin was still a bit out of it, Kimiko was completely prepared. She slid underneath his glider and cut through it, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"You idiot!" Leach roared, typing furiously into her watch.

Percolare stumbled onto its feet, one of its red eyes blinking. For the first time, Kimiko could see the small needle protruding from its gut, or rather what remained of it.

"I have her," Bat roared, drawing a knife and charging.

"Eliminate her," Leach thought aloud, sending a command to Percolare. The robot leaped off the ground.

"Kaminari no Hariken," Kimiko whispered, dropping her sword.

The katana burst into the air and swirled around her like a tornado, slashing away at her two attackers. When it was done, Percolare was but scraps, and Bat's armor lay around him in heaps, as he fell to the ground, covered in blood.

"You…" Kimiko coughed out blood. She glanced at Sora. "…will live. Just like the idiot who first insulted me. Doesn't mean you won't hurt a bit."

Sora met his sister's gaze and nodded thankfully. She managed a smile, and then rushed over to Bat.

"Tell me where my little brother is before I change my mind," she growled.

"You won't—"

Kimiko held her sword to his throat. He gulped.

"Just down the hall in a videogame shop. It's open. You won't miss it," Bat stammered.

Kimiko smacked Bat with the blunt end of her sword, knocking him out. She stood up, and immediately fell back down again. Sora rushed over to her, and slid down beside her.

"No…no no no no," Leach muttered, looking at the remains of her creation. "Percolare lost…How…? He was based on the legendary Mosca; he was their better!"

Something broke in her eyes. As Sora tore off his shirt to bandage Kimiko's wounds, Leach began to type yet again into her watch.

"You fault! I'll tell the boss! He'll know— _he'll kill your brother!"_

The Nakamuras quickly turned their attention to the assassin. Suddenly, Leach collapsed. Reborn fell down onto his feet beside her, and for the first time Sora noticed the hitman had left their side.

"What did you do to her?" Sora wondered.

"Just a little trick. She's just unconscious," Reborn tutted, walking casually over to them. "Forget her and save your sister, Stupid Sora."

The blond nodded and finished the wrap. He gave Kimiko a once-over, saying, "You need to stay here. Your wound is pretty serious. I'll go get Makoto."

"No," Kimiko grasped his arm. "I've survived worse for longer. Go save Kori."

Sora hesitated. He considered a counter argument, but he knew his sister would go after their younger brother herself if he didn't listen to her. With a sigh, Sora stood up.

"I…I will. I just don't know how I'll…"

 _SMACK!_ Reborn slapped Sora with all his might, sending the teen crashing to the ground. He managed to get back onto his knees, but couldn't stand, his limbs shaking.

"A boss is always optimistic," Reborn simply said, looking Sora in the eyes.

The blond nearly talked back, but recognized the sincerity in the hitman's words. He nodded, and forced himself up with strength he didn't know he had.

"I'll be back soon, Kimiko," Sora said, his chin held high, "And I'll have Kori with me."

 _ **-XI-**_

 **Percolare is Italian for Leach. Kaminari no Hariken means Thunderous Hurricane in Japanese.**

 **Please vote in the character popularity poll on my page, and drop a review if you have the time.**

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: Confrontation**

 **Sora- Kori!**

 **Kori- You idiot!**

 **Le Bestie Boss- Reborn-san and the Vongola Tenth have been keeping a very important fact from you.**

 **Sora- What the hell is that supposed to mean?**


	26. Confrontation

**So…this chapter's maybe a bit late. XD Better late than never, I suppose. On the plus side, maybe this update will motivate you to reread the series! ;)**

 **Guest: You'll find out what Sora's weapon is next issue. Get pumped!**

 **Valery-chan: I suppose he is kinda like Byakuran in that he acts pretty friendly. Squalo's missing arm will be explored in the future, so I can't say any more than that. As for the mall…eh, I hadn't thought about it. Sure, why not?**

…

Reborn! Again

Target 26 – Confrontation

Sora had never felt this exhausted before in his—albeit short—life. Every muscle from his head to his toes ached, urging him to surrender. To give in to the pain and rest—but he couldn't. Not after the sacrifices his friends had made, and certainly not with his little brother's life on the line.

So he picked up speed. He ran faster down the murky halls of the mall, willing himself forward. When at last he spotted the videogame store that Bat had revealed as the location of his brother, he felt overcome with joy, not fear. Whatever awaited him there, he could beat it.

"Be careful," Reborn warned from his resting spot on Sora's head.

"Talk less, run more," Sora retorted, not slowing down.

It was in that moment that he began to make out his brother's silhouette in the distance. Soon enough, he could see his metal restraints, and the gag that kept him from speaking. Finally, he reached the entrance to the store, and ran right through its neon-lit entryway, his survival instincts lost to fatigue.

Sora ignored the many monitors situated around the room and the eerie, tiger-skinned manikin he passed as he entered. He didn't so much as scan the area for potential threats. No, Sora's first move was to ungag his brother, whose eyes had only widened in fear as he neared him.

"Kori!"

"You idiot!" Kori scolded. _"He's right behind you!"_

As if out of a horror movie, Sora turned around just as the door to the store was shut and locked. The perpetrator—the manikin. In his delirious state, he'd missed the doll's face. Truthfully, it wasn't a manikin at all, but rather a thin, middle-aged man with wild hair dyed the many colors of fire and a suit made from a tiger's pelt. Sunglasses blocked out any hint of humanity in his eyes. The man smiled wickedly at Sora, unveiling his blade-like canines. For all intents and purposes, he looked like a demon.

"After all this time, it's a pleasure to finally meet you, Sora," the tiger-suited man greeted, bowing like a butler with one arm crossed over his chest.

"You're him, right?" Sora wondered, his body tense with as much fear as exhaustion, "You're the head of Le Bestie?"

"That's my official job description, yes," the man agreed, straightening his posture. "And I suppose you could call me Tiger—"

"Really? Wouldn't have guessed that was your gimmick," Sora sarcastically muttered.

"Ooh, so the stories are true. You do have quite the mouth on you," Tiger said. "Only I hope you'll be a little politer once you realize who I am."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Sora demanded as Reborn watched on, his gaze unreadable.

"I hoped to save the reveal till all four of you Nakamura siblings were in the same room, but it seems my employees are far more competent than I realized," Tiger rambled. "You see, Reborn-san and the Vongola Tenth have been keeping a very important fact from you all, including your older siblings, for fear of how you'd react."

"While I go by the alias Tiger, my real name is Nakamura Naozumi, but I hope you'll call me _Uncle Nao_."

 _ **-XI-**_

"Kimiko! Sora!" Makoto called, struggling to find his way through the darkness.

"Over here, dumbass!" Kimiko yelled. She immediately recoiled, clenching the wound in her gut. Speaking hurt…a lot. "The others?"

"They're fine. Oh my God," Makoto muttered, kneeling down after he located her and saw her injury.

"Sora and Reborn went on ahead—agh," Kimiko grit her teeth in pain.

"Try not to speak. They really did a number on you," Makoto muttered as he ignited his ring's Sun Flame.

"I stabbed myself," Kimiko spat back.

Makoto paused, then shrugged, allowing his hands to hover over her wound. "We're gonna have to talk about your battle tactics later. For now, relax…"

After a few moments, Kimiko felt her wound begin to close as the pain lessened. After her vision cleared from the fog brought on by blood loss, she noticed Makoto looked ill, like he could collapse at any moment.

"You're overworking yourself," Kimiko noted, concerned.

"Yeah, well you guys haven't been making things easy on me. You didn't have to go and get yourselves beaten half to death all at once. It's like a sad little masochist club," Makoto half-heartedly quipped.

"Take it easy," Kimiko let her big sister instincts take over.

"I will, after we're done here," Makoto replied, his voice suddenly stern.

Kimiko pushed him away, breaking his concentration and therefore eliminating his flame. "I'm fine. You need to save some energy for our brothers."

Makoto nodded, and crawled over to his sister's side. The two helped support one another on their way up. Then, as quickly as they could manage, they left in search of their little brothers.

 _ **-XI-**_

"This has to be a trick, right?" Sora looked down at Reborn, wide-eyed. "Right, Reborn?"

The hitman didn't respond. He didn't so much as meet Sora's gaze.

"Our uncle died in a car crash as a boy," Kori jumped in.

"So the story goes," Tiger agreed, beginning to pace around the two boys.

"If you're our uncle, why the hell would you try to kill us?!" Sora exclaimed.

"As I preach to my subordinates time and again, only the fit survive," Tiger stopped within arms-length of Sora. His grin disappeared from his face. "I was hired by an organization that is _very_ invested in the future of the Vongola. What better cover is there for an exam to test the aptitude for survival of each boss candidate than the use of the world's deadliest killers as the exam's proctors, they thought. Of course, my subordinates couldn't know the truth. For the exam results to be truly accurate, they had to believe the contract required the assassination of the Vongola heirs."

"So, what, you went around killing innocent people?" Sora retorted, face flushed.

"The boss candidates we killed were far from innocent. Regardless, you should be thanking me. We cleared the line of succession for you," Tiger noted.

" _By murdering people!"_ Sora roared, although he kept his feet firmly planted in the ground. "And then you tried to kill my friends, my siblings—me!"

"You must understand, as an assassin, I have a code. The contract must be completed," Tiger explained, "The exam's rules must be enforced, regardless of my relationship to its participants. Celebrate. You've already done far better than the others—"

"So what? We passed?" Sora interrupted.

"Not quite. The test, frankly, doesn't concern a boss candidate's Guardians. It's just a happy coincidence that yours got involved and helped you along the way. No, you see, Sora my boy, you must still complete the exam," Tiger stated.

"I have to fight you," Sora realized.

Tiger suddenly erupted into laughter. "HAHAHAHAhahaheh…whoo, I needed that. Sora, you won't fight me. You'd never stand a chance. No, my beloved nephew, you'll fight my _son_."

The two Nakamura's eyes widened in shock. Even Reborn appeared surprised, blurting, "What?"

"Yes, I did try to keep him a secret from the world. It's a cruel place, you know, and bad things happen to good people all the time." To emphasize his point, Tiger removed his sunglasses, revealing the scarred remains of his eyes. "The car 'accident' left me without my sight. The person who did this to me certainly wouldn't spare my son if knowledge of his existence leaked. Of course, since he's completed his training, I think it's high time I brought him into the light…"

Before any of the others could speak, Tiger extended his arm and flicked his wrist, removing a remote from his sleeve. Then, with a click of a button, he freed Kori, who instantly sprang to his feet.

"Wait wait wait! I'm so lost. Can we go?" Sora wondered.

"Of course. You won't fight my son now. That would hardly be fair. You're half-dead," Tiger said. "Get a good night's sleep. Rest up. The exam's final stage—the battle—will take place tomorrow evening. The details will be sent to you shortly. Oh, and do come alone this time. Wouldn't want something horrible to happen to any of your injured friends, would you? Or worse, your mother…"

"You evil son of a—" Kori began, only for Tiger to stop him with a wave of his hand.

"Ah ah ah. I don't want to have to kill you, Kori, dearest," Tiger said playfully.

The pink-haired boy stepped back, quiet.

Sora held Tiger's blank gaze for what felt like hours, hoping his rage could be interpreted through the silence. This man claimed to be his uncle, and yet had threatened everyone Sora held dear. Regardless of whether or not they were tied by blood, he would never consider this man his uncle.

"C'mon, Kori, let's get you home," Sora wrapped his arm around his brother's shoulders, and allowed him to help him out of the store.

"So long, my sweet nephews!" called Tiger.

 _ **-XI-**_

Needless to say, the return trip was laden with tense, awkward silence as they all tried to process the news Sora had provided. This was made worse by the fact that Eiji had disappeared before the Nakamuras returned to the entrance of the mall.

Throughout the walk back, Reborn refused to answer any questions they had in regards to why the Tenth would keep Tiger's identity a secret, how the Nakamura siblings' uncle became a world-renowned assassin, and just who might be behind this whole psychotic exam.

The one thing he would clarify: "No one inside the Vongola hired Le Bestie."

Whether Sora believed him or not was still up in the air. If he'd kept a secret like this from him, then he'd certainly have no trouble lying to him.

"Everyone, throw your bloody clothes in the trash. I'll go get a change of clothes for each of you from upstairs. Be quiet. We don't want to wake our mother," Kimiko ordered as they neared their home, the sun just beginning to rise on the horizon.

"Yes, ma'am," the others agreed.

"Don't talk about what happened. We'll discuss our next move tomorrow," Kimiko said.

"Yes, ma'am," they repeated.

Within the hour, they'd all cleaned themselves up and found places to sleep. Most succumbed to exhaustion, quickly passing out. Even Sora, for all his angst, couldn't hold out. Only Reborn remained awake.

The tiny hitman creeped out onto Sora's porch and stared up at the night sky. Trillions of stars twinkled back at him.

Fingering the yellow pacifier that hung from his neck, Reborn said, "What is it you're planning? Why hire Le Bestie and create this insane exam? …why do you hate the Vongola so much?"

Silence.

Reborn frowned, then declared, "The Vongola will not go quietly into the night. I'll make sure of that."

The hitman released his grip on the pacifier and reentered the home without another word. Meanwhile, a shooting star passed by overhead, edging ever closer to Earth.

 _ **-XI-**_

 **Confession of an exhausted writer: if the twist felt like it was out nowhere…that's because it was. While Tiger's appearance, personality, and son had always been planned, and the exam side of the twist had certainly been seeded earlier on, the whole familial aspect of it was something I came up with recently. Part of the reason it's been so hard to write this is because I wasn't emotionally invested in this arc. Then, I came up with that slight tweak to Tiger's character (making him the Nakamuras' uncle), and everything got way more interesting.**

 **Anyway, I hope you liked it! While the uncle twist may have come out of nowhere, it does play into my plans perfectly.**

 **NEXT TIME ON REBORN! AGAIN: The Final Exam**

 **Sora- You all have done enough. I'm going to face Tiger's son alone.**

 **Kimiko- We're not just going to let you leave without a backup plan in case you lose the fight.**

 **Sora- You don't have a choice. This is my call.**

 **Kori- What the hell is happening to Leon?**

 **Reborn- It's time.**


End file.
